Thaw
by BlixaLooksCarsick
Summary: Even in a new timeline, viles seeds do germinate. Sub-Zero embarks on a mission to the Netherrealm to retrieve a soul in possession of great power. But this is not an undertaking he can face alone. Cruel necessity forces him to cooperate with an old foe. Suspicion hounds his every step, as Skarlet surely operates under an agenda of her own.
1. Chapter 1

One night, in an ethereal recess between matter and soul, a deity befriended a mortal. It was through retaining the memory of her Mother and her Brother's schemes in a timeline unmade that Elder God Cetrion made a fateful decision. The Elder Gods' detachment from the living experience of mortals could only lead to ruin, even if indirectly. She humbly realised that the Thunder God Raiden had the right of it. His bond with mortals was a truer path to balance than her own steadfast allegiance to Kronika.

Thus, she reached out towards some curious soul; any may do. In doing so, her voice resonated within a man's meditation. That man was the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei: Kuai Liang, known across the realms as Sub-Zero. In him, she found a sober mind, and a soul full of deeds and principles. Their alliance proved extraordinarily effective as a force for good. But sometimes, their talks would stray from the ever-present concerns for the welfare of the realms.

"Is there room for love in your heart, Kuai Liang?" Cetrion asked him once.

"Love gets in the way." His tone fell strangely on her ears; his speech was often formal, but rarely cold as this.

"Love leads the way." The Elder God declared without a doubt in her mind. She knew Sub-Zero would hear no more on the subject, yet she trusted time would prove her right.

[ ]

A year passed. Catastrophes and tyrants loomed over the horizon, and heroes rose to vanquish them every time. But one day, a disturbing call echoed through the Netherrealm. It prefaced a coming scourge the likes of which had not been seen in a mercifully long time. Cetrion brought this to Sub-Zero's attention, but not merely out of confidence in his might.

This mission required his skills, and those of certain parties he was acquainted with. One was already in the Netherrealm, a close ally of the Lin Kuei and their Grandmaster. The other was more uncertain to locate, and even more troublesome to handle. Sub-Zero steeled himself with patience and all the tolerance - however little – he could muster. Thusly, he reluctantly set out to the shores of the Sea of Blood, where Kharon the old ferryman dwelt.

This was a likely place to begin the search for the blood fiend, the woman known as Skarlet.

He made his way to the shore and the old man's cabin. With every step, the crimsoned sand lingered to Kuai Liang's soles, as did a memory of another self in a different continuity. He did not experience the loss himself, but he was nonetheless made to acknowledge that his comrade and equal, Hanzo Hasashi, perished in this very landscape in another timeline. Such was a side effect of the universe's new birth: as a price for life, a hundredfold memento of death.

But amidst the fretful myriad ghost-memories of dead loved ones and innocent casualties, one death brings life-reassuring comfort. It clings to the air, the spray of the sea, and the scent of the soil. A certainty in this and all continuities.

Shao Kahn is dead.

His remains lay unmourned, zealously guarded inside of a hidden fortress in Outworld. Sub-Zero and many others played a part in his defeat, preventing Edenia's invasion and subsequent merging. Shao Kahn's fall spared Princess Kitana of Edenia from becoming one of the Conqueror's many 'daughters'. Even her half-sister Mileena was granted amnesty after her rescue from one of many ruinous timelines. But others were not as fortunate. Skarlet was plucked from the streets of Outworld long before Shao Kahn turned his gaze towards Edenia. Indoctrinated from childhood and bound to the Blood Code, she became an unparalleled assassin. But it was not her strength and agility what made her truly dangerous, or even her command of blood magic. Her resourcefulness and creativity made her truly lethal, a fitting right hand to her 'father'.

Kuai Liang remembered how she made frightening show of her capabilities during Shao Kahn's final stand. She alone could have turned the tide of battle. More than a sharply-trained assassin, she was a rabid beast unleashed. With such relentless fury in her offensive, one may have expected her to be careless, even sloppy. However, every strike, every slash of her blade was much too precise. Finding the vulnerabilities in her form was truly an accomplishment; surviving the encounter was a genuine feat.

Uncanny, Sub-Zero thought. How her movements suggested praise-worthy discipline; how her ferocity clashed so with her persona on the brief skirmishes leading up to the final showdown. Her blade was more conservative and predictable then; her words calmer, even friendly, and all the more unsettling for it. Though he could accurately assess her weaknesses, there was something he could not figure out. Her demeanour, her words, and her attempts to get close to him: were they a mind game, or did they obey a much baser drive?

Regardless of the purpose, Sub-Zero was convinced her words were deliberate. Her mind, though smeared in blood magic and her Master's influence, was sound. Now, he was not so sure anymore. She eluded apprehension after Shao Kahn's defeat, though there had been sporadic appearances. Some were uneventful, and others were suitably violent; both adversaries and victims shared no allegiance or trait, save for the blood ravenously taken from them.

With Shao Kahn dead, his daughter was left a wild card in the grand scheme of things. No allegiance. Likely no sanity or purpose behind her actions. For someone like that to wield blood magic, the best course of action may be to simply eliminate her. The realms would be spared then from another menace. But as chance or fate would have it, her abilities were now needed to prevent a calamity rising in the Netherrealm.

_"She will be an invaluable asset in your mission." _Cetrion had said, not altogether without reluctance. _"Only one with such capabilities will be able to track the child." _

_"The child?" _

_"Somewhere in the Netherrealm, a little soul has begun to shimmer. It radiates life where by nature should not. I can sense power… of a divine scale in this soul. But in the Netherrealm, unreachable to the Elder Gods. This child must be secured, Kuai Liang. You know the dangers otherwise…" _

Even now, outside of the old man's shack, Sub-Zero felt the same dread turning his thoughts bitter.

_"I'll find this bloodhound, Cetrion. For the sake of the realms, I'll cooperate with her. But I won't hesitate to cut her down when she proves a danger herself." _

_"IF she does…" _Cetrion spoke with subtle insistence. _"I'll trust your judgement." _

His judgement told him she would end the mission by slaying the child and taking their blood. Sub-Zero was prepared to kill Skarlet as soon as she fulfilled her purpose for this mission. He knew this was a cold-hearted approach, but the welfare of the Realms demanded such decisions.

[ ]

"Grandmaster." Old man Kharon greeted Sub-Zero. His voice sounded as old as the grave of the first man who ever died, yet one could always hear a dash of joviality in his words. "Been a long time since you last visited these parts."

"You may always call me by my given name, Kharon. Titles matter none in your presence." The man saluted.

"Lose the reverence, Liang. Makes you sound older than me. Laugh a little, live a little."

"Maybe some other time, Kharon. I come on duty."

"Should have seen that coming." The old man offered Sub-Zero a seat at the table. "Fair. Would you like a drink?"

Sub-Zero stole a glance at the red waves crashing outside. His palate chided him for mental association, but his mind was made up. He was parched from the journey, and it would be unseemly to turn down the courtesy.

"I'll have wine, if you have any."

"It's all I have. And waters from the Grey Sea, but I don't advise consuming those." The old man chuckled as he poured two cups. "Be sure to bring some of that rice spirit your pupils brew next time."

"I shall." Sub-Zero toasted. The red Outworld wine tasted rich and pleasantly bitter. "I do bring gifts for this occasion, however." Sub-Zero unpacked the small satchel he carried. It bore several volumes of literary volumes written across many regions of Earthrealm.

"Oh, this will do to inebriate my brain a little… The Old Man and the Sea?" Kharon grinned. "Did the Lin Kuei Grandmaster just make a joke?"

"Possibly." Sub-Zero afforded a discreet smile.

"I'm fine with that." Kharon chuckled. "I'll be sure to share some of this with our guest."

"Guest?" Alertness spiked in Sub-Zero's nerves.

"Yes. Is that not what you came about? Rendezvous here with your partner?"

Kuai Liang quickly put the pieces together. He had come to this place for the likelihood of finding Skarlet. But with this undertaking at hand, it was likely that she would be aware of it as well. Cetrion would not leave this unlikely alliance to mere negotiation.

She had no allegiance. No superior to answer to. No cause. Only hunger and an art that should have be lost beneath the sands of time. Cetrion must have reached out to Skarlet without him knowing. She must have coaxed her, or promised the assassin something to ensure her cooperation.

Sub-Zero was tempted to question everything Cetrion had ever told him. But present circumstances left doubt for another time. Right now, his instincts guided him to find Skarlet, and shield Kharon from any peril that may arise.

"Where is she?" Kuai Liang did not disguise the shift in his mood.

"She should be nearby. Said she needed to go for a swim." Kharon seemed unaware of his friend's tension.

"A swim…" Sub-Zero observed the shore. His eyes carefully scanned the movement of the waves, every shadow morphing on the surface, anything that could come off as the distorted shape of a woman.

There.

He stood up instantly. Old man Kharon nonchalantly poured himself another drink as he watched the Grandmaster make for the door.

The sand leapt high with every footfall as Sub-Zero ran across the beach to the edge where the blood brushed against the land. His muscles were relaxed, poised for kombat. The shore afforded little tactical advantage, so he would have to resort to sheer might and speed to dominate the duel. The temperature around his hands plummeted and the air began to crystallise.

Her naked figure emerged leisurely from the red water. She shook her head from side to side, spraying red from the dark locks of her hair. Skarlet had her back towards him, and she seemed unaware of his presence. She was vulnerable, and ripe for a surprise attack. Yet the woman continued to indulge in the open air, and she did not appear to mind the breeze. She splashed red water on her face and body, as if she could indeed wash herself with it. Only in the middle of it did she think to start looking behind.

She only peered a little in truth, and drank Sub-Zero's presence throughout a couple of seconds. The look in her eye was hard to define, but the right, visible corner of her mouth curled upwards into a smile. It was a rather charming sight in itself, turned unsettling for the acquainted.

"Grandmaster Kuai Liang…" She spoke with a voice like silk. "Fancy seeing you here."

He said nothing to her. His eyes were cold and firmly held on hers.

"How unseemly of one like you to stare." Skarlet slowly turned around. She covered her breasts with her arms, but nothing about it hinted bashfulness. "Not that I mind…"

"Why are you here?" He said dryly.

"I've been meaning to meet you. I thought you may think of finding me here." She held her gaze on his eyes as well, never blinking. Skarlet remained in the red water; she neither approached nor backed away.

Sub-Zero edged in her direction, knowing she had the advantage. She was literally in her element, with all sorts of weapons at her disposal, at the whim of whichever shape she chose.

"You may have joined me… had you arrived earlier. But we have a mission to fulfil, have we not?" She smiled. "Don't look so surprised, Grandmaster Kuai Liang. Cetrion reached out to me too. She warned that you may not trust me so easily."

Sub-Zero looked unfazed.

"I can see that… but I don't think you'll wish to kill me. Not yet anyway." Skarlet blinked slow and deliberately. "Now, would you allow me to get dressed, or would you stare at me longer?"

Kuai Liang turned around, and closed his eyes.

"Be quick."

He could feel her smirking at the sharpness of his words. He knew every movement she made, no matter how subtle, from the chill that lingered around her, which was like an extension of his own body. It mattered none to him if she thought him timid: a treacherous attack could be easily deflected by using false pretences. However, though nothing hinted at an incoming attack, she was certainly taking her time.

She fetched her bearings quick enough from behind the shadow of a rock. Everything after that was a moment drawn uncomfortably long. Her attire was either an elaborate one to put on, or she was deliberately testing his patience.

Suddenly, she stood still. No movement to sense in the air around her, not even the twitch of a finger to pull the blood at her feet to her grasp. Kuai Liang knew just what she was doing. She must have known that the sudden breeze was no accident, and that he would suspect her at every turn. She was not wrong in this assumption. The fact alone that she looked so well adjusted, despite her Master's defeat was enough to put Sub-Zero on edge.

Her smile grew wider. She waited for him to turn his head, to steal a peek. Though she was fully clothed, a gain on his curiosity would have made her day. But it was not to be. Her smile died as Sub-Zero walked away without even a glimpse in her direction.

The chill faded and the air around the shore became stale and dry. Skarlet turned to the sea, and her thoughts dwelt in its depths for a moment. She made Sub-Zero wait, something few people have ever done. There would be no harm in him waiting some more.

Shao Kahn is dead. No matter where she roamed or what she did, there was no escaping the fact. Skarlet felt no pain and she punctured the inside of her mouth with her teeth, compulsively chewing herself. Her own blood had no taste for her – no blood did anymore.

The all-devouring red of the landscape began to lose its intensity. Everything began to look grey, and sound slowly hollowed out. Skarlet sunk inside of herself, and she soon would drown. Cetrion's words were her only remaining lifeline. Ever since she was a child, Skarlet had the gift of imagination; surely she could hear the Elder God's voice in her mind at any moment.

"I said, be quick." Sub-Zero's stern voice startled the assassin. He grabbed her by the arm and harshly dragged her along, away from the shore. From their past interactions, this was the kindest way he ever laid hands on her. This was far from the things she wanted, but it was a start. Even during uncertain times, the notion of fulfilling wants filled her with mirth.

And she had many, many wants.

"What did Cetrion promise you?" Sub-Zero asked. "How did she enlist you to this mission?"

"She promised nothing." Skarlet said. "All she did was give me something I wished for, which you took from me…"

"What is it?"

"A purpose."

Her face was vacant of all humour now.

"Shao Kahn had to die. He destroyed all he touched. Even you, stupid woman. Yet you fail to see it." Sub-Zero's words cut like a blade.

"You don't know a thing!" Skarlet yelled, shaking her arm free from his grasp. "He saved me from the streets. He gave me power. He gave me new life!"

"He bound you to a disease. And this mission will be the best use for it in your entire life."

"A disease?" Something inside of the assassin took a violent turn. Her eyes now glowed with hatred. "How can this much power…" The waves at her back elevated behind her. Sub-Zero and she were enveloped in the shadow on the crimson loom. The tide would break at any moment she chose. "… be a disease?"

All at once, the waves came crashing down against Sub-Zero. He broke the collision by putting up an ice shield around him, which grew wider as the blood added to the barrier. Skarlet continued to apply pressure. Soon he would be overwhelmed, and at her mercy. But she lacked the patience for gradual punishment. Her heart called for vengeance, deadly and messy.

The assassin in red lunged at the barrier, through which she could see Sub-Zero's distorted silhouette. Skarlet broke through with ease, spearheading the bloody vanguard with merciless potency. But what her blades encountered were not what she expected. The body shattered into crude chunks of ice at her attack. From the mist of the destroyed replica, the figure of the true Sub-Zero came into view, too quick for her to counterattack or retreat.

"That…" His voice, grave and cold, was right in her ear, scolding her attempt on his life. "…was a tactic invented by a beginner." Skarlet could neither move, nor breathe. His left arm constricted the flow of blood to her brain, while the right kept her from prying free. She was losing strength fast, and with it, the waves died flat on the sand. "You pose no danger to me if you fell for such a small trick. You are reckless and clumsy!"

Her scream of anger came out a whimper of impotence.

"… And not the deft assassin I remember."

With that, Sub-Zero released the hold and threw her on her side. Now against the sand, her anger subsided. She did not feel humiliated or taunted. In fact, she felt nothing at all.

"You will aid me in this mission. I will let you live if you fulfil your part." Kuai Liang spoke. "But even if you force me to kill you, I will expect better from you. Now get up."

Skarlet's mind was torn as she saw Sub-Zero walking away. On one hand, she wondered if his tone now was much different from his role as mentor to the Lin Kuei. On the other, she weighed his words and acknowledged them true.

She had to be better.

Otherwise, she would never be able to revive Shao Kahn.


	2. Chapter 2

Some phantoms lay dead beneath the sands of time, while others continued to haunt the timeline before being put to sleep. The Netherrealm harboured many such ghosts, with bitter memories of foes who rose time after time. No matter what decision was made, what situations were weaved to prevent a tragic outcome, some events remained as fixtures across timelines. To this day, many consider the sorcerer Quan Chi to be the vilest of these fixtures. In his lifetime, he committed a great deal of atrocities and crimes, with consequences that may prove to long outlive him.

The sorcerer is dead now. His legacy of terror and ambition are the reason most portals to the Netherrealm are now destroyed. The few that remain are hidden, accessible to only a handful, and spread out across the realms. The Lin Kuei played no small part in the task; but although Sub-Zero believed in its necessity, he now slightly regretted it.

There was one portal in Outworld still, diligently guarded by Kotal Khan's elite forces. It lay dormant in the heart of a large continent across the Sea of Blood. Sailing the distance alone was a matter of weeks. Penetrating through the thick forests of the landmass would take just as long. This was the quickest alternative at hand, and all the same, it signified a dreadful stretch of time ahead of him.

And Skarlet knew it. That much was plain in her expression, in her perverse smile and teasing eyes.

Kuai Liang's sole comfort was knowing the Lin Kuei was in safe hands during his absence. Patime Samedi, codename Autumn, exhibited all the qualities he valued most in a person. The woman was devoted to the principles of the clan, to Earthrealm, and to her fellows. She was exceptionally skilled in martial arts, and educated in medicine and philosophy. And quite unlike the previous heir to the clan, she believed in patience and serenity as fundamental necessities for any who would lead.

Sub-Zero scolded himself internally, feeling that he could and should learn from Autumn. In face of the days to come, he too had to be patient and serene, despite company he deemed loathsome. The contrast between Autumn and Skarlet glared at him as he laid eyes on the assassin conversing with Kharon in his shack. At present, she seemed to be on his side. But the woman in red hardly seemed any different to her past role as Shao Kahn's blade.

"Perhaps I should join your clan." Skarlet told him once, as the warriors under her command engaged the Lin Kuei in a desperate fray after a foiled ambush. Sub-Zero's people proved more than a match, and quickly turned the tide to their favour.

"You are not worthy, Skarlet." The very thought of her being in the ranks was too nonsensical to even humour.

"You wound me, Grandmaster." She said then, proceeding to lunge with blades made from her warriors' blood.

The moment was to him the epitome of the absurd. And yet, for some reason, he never did forget the expression on her face as she spoke.

Her smile. Red-blooded. Conspiring. Wanting.

A twisted reprisal of years past. The sight was not strange to him – neither was reciprocation, mischief, or craving. But the adventures, and the hours hotly stolen in the dead of night with a fellow apprentice were things he chose to leave in the past. Everything changed when he had to take on the mantle of Grandmaster. He inherited his brother's codename, and let his heart grow cold, so that the winds of change may never make him falter.

Though his heart was in the right place, it beat coldly. The way the realms needed it. The way he taught himself to need it. This gained him no small teasing from peers and allies, even enemies – and particularly, the woman in red. Every once in a while, she stole a glance at him in the middle of conversation with old Kharon. Sub-Zero did not know what perturbed him most: how easily she found his presence across the distance, or how effortlessly she ensnared the shipmaster in idle talk.

Kuai Liang put those thoughts aside and waited for the hour of departure. By then, Kharon seemed to have taken a shine to the crimson assassin.

"Not the wisest choice to befriend that woman." Sub-Zero said to the old man as they walked towards the pier. He cared little about being subtle.

"Not the nicest thing to say about someone, Grandmaster." Kharon said with a vaguely scolding tone. It sufficed for Skarlet to hear as well, as she began catching up to the pair.

"She was one of Shao Kahn's daughters." Sub-Zero insisted.

"So was Mileena, as I recall. Isn't she one of Edenia's Princesses now?"

"Shao Kahn's influence doesn't die easily. Princess Mileena was spared from his reach. She was not."

"You cannot possibly know, Grandmaster. Perhaps she did inherit her father's evil, or perhaps she truly wishes to turn over a new leaf, as you Earthrealmers say. Regardless, there is no harm in treating her as a person. Take it from me, she makes for great conversation. And you two will be stuck together for a while."

"What is your point, Kharon?"

"My point is make the best of it, Kuai Liang. You aren't known for holding grudges. Don't start now."

The old man went ahead to prepare the ship, leaving Sub-Zero lagging behind, quite speechless. Skarlet caught up soon. Though she said nothing, it was clear that she listened to the entire conversation. She neither reproached him, nor reciprocated his frigid treatment of her. Instead, she merely smiled at him, with hardly a touch of lust about her lips.

And without a single word, Skarlet boarded the ship, leaving Sub-Zero agape to mull over Kharon's words.

[ ]

Kharon rarely transported much cargo. This left Kuai Liang plenty of room down in the storage chamber, where he spent most of the day meditating and exercising.

This afforded him time to reflect about Skarlet's role, both as unlikely companion and as underling to the late Shao Kahn. The only time he saw her throughout the first two days of travel was late at night, in the ship's quarters: and by then, she was already fast asleep in her bunk, with her back towards him. He hardly cast more than one glance at her; the sound of her breathing confirmed she was indeed sleeping. But those minute details overspent their stay in his mind.

He never much thought about those on the other side of the blade, particularly on the smallest, most mundane details. There were memories of old friends turned foes; the gentle side was always exiled, but never quite forgotten, to his dismay. There was open contempt for the irredeemable ones, and he easily could count Skarlet among them. But to his surprise, the notion never came to him – of killing her as she slept, of ridding the worlds from this menace.

The curves of her silhouette beneath the covers, the slow rise and sink of her breathing, and even the peculiar tousling of her hair against the use-worn pillow. It all amounted to Skarlet being a person. She felt exhaustion, and the wear of the hours. She yawned, and looked for somewhere soft to lay down and sleep, just like he did. And she surely dreamed, of wants, memories, of reality through the uncanny lens of the slumbering mind.

Whatever she saw in her dreams, he dreaded to know. But if she would live the days to come with his axe hanging over her head, she may as well be allowed to keep her dreams.

Suddenly, a strange sound that caught his attention.

Skarlet stirred in her sleep. She tossed about, instinctively looking for a comfortable position on a surface never fashioned for comfort. This happened several times throughout the night, but never too loudly to disrupt the quiet. Kuai Liang wondered if she would smirk in satisfaction to know that he thought of her, and her alone, for longer than one minute. And knowing that he did, the Lin Kuei Grandmaster felt foolish, quite like a novice.

[ ]

The third day initially seemed no different than the previous two. He began his morning routine as usual in the dimly lit area, with few boxes and chests spread about the place. Before even seeing or hearing, he sensed something unusual in the whole of it. He was hardly surprised, but still irritated to see Skarlet having come down the stairs, disrupting the humble peace he constructed.

Yet her appearance slowed his reaction to a halt. She was visibly pleased to see him suddenly speechless. Skarlet had stripped from her travel clothes. Her trousers, boots and hooded robe were discarded in favour of lighter clothes, which flattered the shape of her hips, and the swell of her muscles despite having such a lean build. Arms and legs were skilfully wrapped in bandages. No luxurious makeup on her eyelids or lips. However, she looked the most bare without her dagger or her infamous blood vials anywhere in sight. But the purpose of this outfit was clear – it was meant to afford her great mobility.

The greatest change was nothing too casual. Her hair, which reached her lower back was now cut, trimmed to barely graze her shoulders.

"Do you like it?" She asked, slightly preening herself. "It grows too quickly for me not to touch it."

"What are you doing here?" Sub-Zero responded dryly.

"I have come with an indecent proposal, of course." She approached him. "Tell me, Grandmaster. Are you not awfully bored down here?"

"No."

"You lie, Sub-Zero." Skarlet chuckled. "You are on edge. Your tension is so palpable I could trim myself a little more with it. And I understand why. This mission is important, and the Netherrealm must be such a hostile place. And you don't trust me very much."

"Get to the point, Skarlet."

"I think I can offer a way to alleviate some of that tension. You see, I think the reason you don't trust me is that you don't know me at all."

"You know why I do not trust you."

"Well, we could argue about that all day if you wish. Or we could spend those hours in a more… productive way. So…" They were only but an inch apart when she stopped in front of him. "I invite you to join me for a little sparring on deck. No weapons, no ice between us."

"No blood magic." Kuai Liang brooked no argument.

"And lots of sweat." There was distinct heat in her smile, almost glowing hot as she laid her hand on his chest. "Please do get ready, Sub-Zero." His chest felt suitably cold beneath her palm. Though she could not read his mood by his pulse, she knew his answer already.

He conceded with a dry grumble, and began to strip from the Lin Kuei attire, down to trousers cut just above the knee. Two minutes afterwards, his extremities were wrapped and ready for sparring. Skarlet was well entertained watching the entire process.

"Are we ready?" She asked, visibly excited. Skarlet all but hopped into fighting stance after he nodded in affirmation.

To his surprise, her stance was quite different to what he had seen from her in the past, but not at all foreign. The Edenian Princesses Kitana and Mileena both used a similar style in hand-to-hand combat, back in another timeline, when they were both Shao Kahn's daughters. It made sense that Skarlet would learn the same arts. However, Kitana and Mileena's styles only shared the most basic of fundaments. In nuance and preference, they were as contrasting as day and night. Sub-Zero expected Skarlet would also flaunt her own take on the style.

The assassin's face was now depleted of all levity and flirt, as soon as Kuai Liang assumed his stance. She fixed herself in the centre of his view by a slow approach. Her eyes, the fingertips on her left hand, and the fist drawn slightly back – all pointed in a straight line towards him. Experience deemed this a stance oriented towards offence – a stark departure from her usual ways.

Sub-Zero blocked her first strikes with ease. One punch and one elbow strike, followed by a low kick and a quick retreat. The blows were swift and strong, despite of the bindings. She repeated a similar sequence on his first lunge forward; this time her strikes were slightly weaker. Two more punches with hardly any strength behind them, and a smirk of challenge to go with it. This was an invitation, which he reciprocated with short sets of strikes – not as quick as hers, but considerably stronger.

Nothing that would truly hurt, despite an inner disposition to let her know he shall not entertain whichever mind games she had up her sleeve.

Skarlet got more involved in her next attack, closer, but still retreating quickly enough to dodge Sub-Zero's counterattack. A familiar shade of ferociousness appeared over her face as she continued her offence. Every punch and kick carried stronger momentum. Sub-Zero repelled every strike, and soon began to steal the initiative from Skarlet. The strength behind Liang's attacks pushed her back, forcing her to focus on dodging what he threw her way, and block what she could not evade.

They had been here before. A great deal of their previous encounters eventually led to this situation, to the Lin Kuei Grandmaster overwhelming the Crimson Assassin. To try and push back would equate to smash herself bloody against a wall of ice. So she would put distance between them, catch her breath, and summon the blood to do her bidding, in one of many different forms. Skarlet came close to turning the tide in her favour once or twice, but she never could truly get him off his feet.

Sub-Zero was convinced she was about to slash at him with a blade of crystalised blood. It was just the type of thing she was bound to do; it was her nature to do so. He prepared himself for it.

And that is why Skarlet snatched control away from him – with one simple knee strike on the lower trapezius, knocking him down on his knees. It was a risky gamble, and it paid off. But rather than seize the advantage, she allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Getting the upper hand in this sparring session was pleasing, but it simply could not compare to the look on Sub-Zero face. He was absolutely shocked.

Kuai Liang stood up and shook the ache away. Though he looked at Skarlet with displeasure, he silently reckoned that her smile was contagious.

"Don't rock the boat!" They heard Kharon yell at them from his place at the wheel.

Though he tried to fight it, Sub-Zero's lips curled upwards, if only a little. Skarlet gave no indication that of noticing it, though she did. It was a rather welcome surprise to find she fought so competently even without the use of blood magic. That was not all. For her to gain in on him like this - by taking chances, by perhaps even his own expectactions against him, and by staying honest - it made him almost glad he complied to sparring with Skarlet.

Both combatants reassumed their stances. The sparring session continued for longer than either of them initially expected. Either for the flow of endorphins from the exercise, or the experience of shattering the built expectations from past encounters. Much tension was gone between them during this little pastime, much to Sub-Zero's reluctance. Drenched in sweat, he felt hardly different than he as a young man. He had a lighter heart then, and he smiled more often. Though his duties as a Lin Kuei apprentice always loomed over the horizon, some days he was just perfectly content with a good laugh, a good meal, and something to burn it on.

Skarlet could read it on his face, despite the cold air he put on. He was having fun, and so was she. Her blood coursed manic throughout her body, filling her with barely contained euphoria.

She leapt at him to strike, but he cut her attack short with a clip to her leg, just under the knee. But this time, she did not land as skilfully as she had done all day. In fact, she was not standing back up at all. Curled into a ball, she groaned in pain, holding the inside of an injured thigh with her hand.

"That was careless." Sub-Zero said.

"Sloppy… I admit." Skarlet's voice was strained. "I think I'm hurt."

"That is unfortunate."

"Please, Sub-Zero… I need help."

Kuai Liang sighed loudly.

"What is the problem?"

"I'm not sure. Something must have torn inside my leg."

"Can you not heal it yourself?"

"I could… if I could focus, but this hurts… badly."

She looked up, meeting his eyes with a pleading look.

Sub-Zero reluctantly agreed to aid her. He had no intention of letting her know she did something he appreciated. By helping her now, he would effectively pay this little debt.

Kuai Liang knelt next to Skarlet, and removed her hand from the injured region. A thin layer of cold air clung to the rugged, calloused skin of his hand. This was meant to ease down the pain even through the bandages wrapped around her legs. He firmly pressed his hand on her thigh.

Skarlet bit her lip, restraining the sound originating in her vocal cords, after a few seconds. To her, this felt better than it had any right to. The pain was entirely gone, replaced by a gentle sensation of numbness, extending down and up, across length between the tips of her toes and her pelvis.

And without thinking for even a second, she grabbed his hand, still on her thigh, and brusquely dragged it upwards towards her crotch. Within that mindless instant, she pushed his middle and index fingers into her, as deep as they could go through the fabric on her skin.

She did not think, she only wanted. There was no cause or consequence to consider or mind. Still, she was not surprised about what occurred a brief moment afterwards. Her back was against the floor, her ears rang and her head buzzed from the impact of Kuai Liang's backhand in response for the liberty she took.

Same as her thigh, she felt no pain from this. But the message was loud and clear.

"Heal yourself." Kuai Liang said coldly as he walked away, back into the storage.

"I said don't rock the boat!" Kharon scolded once more, somewhere in the distance.

Skarlet remained in the same position for some time after. Her back against the boards, her eyes lost in the red sky. Everything in the realm of her mind was quiet and meaningless. This was not her best show, and what she sought in Sub-Zero was more than mischief. But for all that went wrong in the span of a few seconds, she was not sorry for it.

Not in the slightest.

There was still several days of sea travel ahead. Much time to kill. Sub-Zero knew this. Perhaps, Skarlet thought, this was the reason he continued to be her sparring partner. Nothing else.

_Nothing. _

And nothing did feel like that first time. It was just as well. Kuai Liang was a strong want to her, but her purpose demanded devotion, no matter how mighty the temptation to stray.


	3. Chapter 3

True to Kharon's estimation, the ship was due to arrive on the afternoon of the following day. The emerald coast of the Sankha Island came into view as a tiny strip of land amidst the Sea of Blood. Even from this distance, the red looked cleanly purged from the island's shores; this was one of many mysteries which adored Sankha's reputation. Scholars from both Earthrealm and Outworld debated whether the island's distinctive phenomena were a consequence of the portal to the Netherrealm concealed in its caves.

Sub-Zero himself had witnessed many such strange occurrences during the mission to secure the portal back in the day. But none of those uncanny sights were in his mind at the moment. He was not thinking wholly of the mission itself either. Despite himself, all he saw were the bags under Skarlet's eyes. He heard her tossing and turning in the deep of night; the creak of her bed as she got up, and the moan of the floorboards beneath her feet.

The assassin's attempts to maintain her demeanour were less and less successful as they approached the island. She was anxious, and restless, and it showed during their sparring sessions, which had become a daily activity. Sub-Zero needed to know the reason for it, whether it would compromise the mission, or if it was a cover for a hidden intent. It certainly was unexpected from as capable a fighter as she. But by now, he fully realised coldness would not get anything out of her, other than the games he was now used to expect.

There probably was no way to learn the truth from her – this he was well aware of. The crux of her unease shall likely reveal itself eventually, and he would be ready for it. If necessary, he harboured no doubt or hesitation to cut her down.

Still, he had to admit the thought of possible consequences was far disjointed from the present moment. He did not fully know why he did so, but he asked that she meet him down in the ship's quarters after dusk.

Despite her forthcoming verbal advances, this time she seemed genuinely taken aback. An hour passed since. Skarlet climbed down the stairs with relative caution, lingering at the sight of Sub-Zero seated at a table with several items atop it, and a vacant chair across. Sub-Zero said nothing to her, only asking that she sit down with a rather formal hand gesture.

Skarlet sat down across from him. The dim candlelight in the quarters barely illuminated Kuai Liang's expression. All she really saw of him was his warm silhouette standing out from the shadows of the room. And as usual, the tempo of his heart was hidden to her – something she would find irritating were it anyone else. However, she had a better idea of his intentions, judging by the jade teapot and the two plain teacups on the table.

She savoured the silence with eager anticipation. Her eyes were fixed on his hands as he scooped the tea leaves and poured the hot water. Despite the years of kombat in his calloused, rugged hands, there was sober grace in every movement, though nothing overly elaborate. Outworld had a variety of equivalents to Earthrealm tea, but she never experienced it like this. Skarlet did not see a simple, mundane activity; she saw a rite unfolding.

"Legend has it that the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu ended their ages-long vendetta over a cup of tea." Skarlet passed her tongue over her lips. "Is that true, Grandmaster?"

"In a past life, seemingly."

"Do you remember it?" Skarlet asked with a little fascination in the tongue.

Sub-Zero said nothing at first.

"It was nothing momentous like legend claims. It was two people finding common ground in reason, despite past history and heated tempers. Nothing more." He extended the cup towards her, held firmly on his fingertips.

Though the smell of the rising steam was somewhat similar to that many Outworld beverages, she hesitated to take the cup from him. Unable to read the emotion in his pulse, Skarlet desperately tried to search for the intention in his face, still to no avail. She did not suspect poison in the tea. However, this reverence was entirely unexpected to Skarlet. She believed this fit well within Kuai Liang's nature, but never towards her.

This felt nothing like the servants at Shao Kahn's palace who suited her needs and wants. In the end, she would hardly ever feel like meeting their gaze or knowing their names. If anything, they were an extension of the function they were purposed to meet. Skarlet was at a loss.

After a few more seconds of unease, she took the cup from Sub-Zero. It felt as heavy as it looked, and the polished surface itself gave off a pleasant sensation of heat. Skarlet held it carefully so as not to somehow tip it over. She was yet unsure of whether she was supposed to drink immediately, but she did not think to ask until after she put the rim of the cup against her lips.

She sipped slowly. Her mouth and nose were held by the heat rising from the cup. And with that, her wary thoughts vanished, and seemed to her such a silly thing, so unlike her.

"You are supposed to smell the tea before drinking it." Sub-Zero said dryly.

A smirk showed on Skarlet's face.

"It's my first time, Grandmaster." Her eyes shot a knowing gaze at him.

He sighed quietly, after which he brought the cup to his nose to savour the smell before the first sip. The two continued to drink slowly and in silence. Skarlet took brief sips with a pause in between. She did this not out of caution from a tendency to burn herself on hot beverages, but to get as full a sampling as she could every time.

"What kind of tea is this?" She asked. The bright, yellow colour brought many possible answers to mind.

"Chrysanthemum."

"I see." Skarlet drank a little more. It stayed for longer inside of her mouth this time. She passed the gulp over every region of her tongue and her palate. Her face as she brushed the front of her teeth with her tongue was the thing that changed Sub-Zero's expression.

"Does it taste bland to you?"

"No." She said. "Not at all. I am only getting all the taste I can. I have a refined sense of taste, you see."

"I would think your consumption of blood has addled your palate."

Skarlet looked up at once with insulted expression.

"You would think so, but you would be wrong, Sub-Zero. If anything, I've learned to perceive things you couldn't even imagine. With only one sample, I've tasted things in your tea you'd never have known in all your years drinking it. I think I feel bad for you, Grandmaster."

Sub-Zero subtly scoffed.

"How does it taste to you?"

"Like spring." She smiled widely. Her response seemed merely poetical at first, but it truly was the short answer. She went on to describe many different nuances in the tea which she identified in one gulp, and how each alluded to the both the process of fermentation, and the soil and weather in which the tree itself had likely grown. Kuai Liang did not stop her as she continued to guess at the slightest impurity in the leaves, praising even these as part of what made this one brew unique.

The topic brought out genuine enthusiasm in Skarlet. She spoke of close equivalents to Outworld beverages and methods of brewing, and of obscure traditions weaved around 'Outworld tea' among diverse peoples. This was an unexpected learning experience for Sub-Zero. Before that day, he would have never imagined learning what kinds of bread to accompany "Marsh love" after it cooled down, or that some people brewed a sweet tea-like drink from the fungus grown in a discarded tooth. Yet the greatest surprise was hearing Skarlet herself talk like this. More than simply knowledgeable, she sounded versed, scholarly even.

It was hardly a stretch of the imagination that this woman had intense thirst for more than her base cravings.

"You Earthrealmers have a word for it." She went on. "Synaesthesia, I believe. Identifying things across the boundaries between senses. Learning to use blood magic has enhanced my tongue, and eyes like you would not believe. I can taste what I see, what I touch, even what I hear. To drink something like this is a treat to all in me that can feel." She chuckled. "It's truly delightful."

"I take the tea was to your liking, then."

"I like what I tasted. I most certainly like what I see before me."

Sub-Zero's face remained unchanged towards Skarlet's comment. The candlelight reflecting on her eyes highlighted the lust and self-satisfaction in the crimson assassin. She continued to drink from the cup with a vague sense of impunity, as if challenging him to break the harmony of the moment by rejecting her.

Just like he always has.

Sub-Zero carried on drinking. Skarlet went on to steer the moment to her caprice, to perhaps steal control of the situation.

"I like that about you, Sub-Zero. You're just like a wall of ice." The assassin laughed. "Nothing breaks through, does it? Your pulse hasn't changed one bit, and your face tells me nothing. It makes me wonder… is it that your heart truly feels nothing, or do you force it to feel nothing?"

"It makes no difference, or importance." He calmly replied.

"Oh, but it does, Grandmaster! For you see, I may not be able to read the feeling in your blood, but there's one thing I can tell. And I don't need my blood magic to detect it."

"What would that be?"

"Indifference." Skarlet smiled. "There is none in you towards me."

"Has it not occurred to you that I look at you with loathing?"

"It has." More times than she was comfortable addressing. "But if so, why have you not killed me?" Her voice lowered in volume, almost to a whisper.

"You are apparently necessary for this mission. The objective is of greater importance than either of us, or whichever way I look at you."

Skarlet laughed heartily at the sound of the word 'us' from his lips.

"That tells me nothing. But one thing that does is this moment. What is the motive behind this gracious occasion?"

"Common understanding, and truth. 'Just like legend has it'. It is auspicious before undertaking our mission come the morrow."

"Fair enough." Skarlet wiped her mouth dry, as neatly as possible. "It seems a suitable reason for two consenting adults to sit down. And it tells me that you regard me as a person, not entirely a monstrosity as you did before."

Kuai Liang stayed quiet.

"You don't need to say a thing. I think you already fulfilled your part of the truth by telling me why you asked me to accompany you tonight. Then it's my turn to be sincere." She looked into his eyes, intense and deliberately. "I want you, Kuai Liang. I've wanted you since the first time I saw you. And I look forward to the moment when you finally want me back."

_Want me. _

"That is wishful thinking, Skarlet." Sub-Zero's expression changed slightly, betraying a hounding sense of doubt within. "Leave it be."

Those words cut. The rejection she was used to, even grown to like was far from this. She could more easily transform sharp hostility and blunt contempt into motivation. But she could do nothing with calm. In her experience, it was temperance what settled the most definite of developments – that was the nature of the things she could not change or argue against.

Sound and fury were fun. This was not.

She resented Kuai Liang for this dismissal.

"I know you won't forget the past. You won't stop seeing me as Shao Kahn's minion. But know this: All I ever did was take my blade to the dead Emperor's enemies. I killed those who would threaten his hold on Outworld, without doubt, hesitation, or repentance. But in that past life you still remember, your heir apparent did worse, so much repulsively worse… and you kept her close, thinking she would come to follow you. You believed in her anyway." She stood up and made for the door.

_Believe in me. _

"You are right." Sub-Zero's deep voice froze Skarlet in her tracks while she still had her back towards him. "I may have avoided the same error in this lifetime, but the decision and its consequences are my responsibility still. My mistake brought unspeakable misfortune to my clan. And you… you are not Frost."

She did not move an inch.

"But there is a difference between what is, and what you want."

"That's good enough for me, Kuai Liang." She left the quarters.

To his own surprise, Sub-Zero felt a twitch of worry in his muscles. Rather than just calling out after Skarlet, he felt compelled to walk after her. In the words that still lingered in the room, he found something he would have never expected from the assassin. She sounded defeated. Though she never got more than a temporary upper hand on him, every encounter was a promise of comeuppance that never came. To hear her sounding like this was strange, unnatural even.

Kuai Liang walked through the door and up the stairs. Before catching up, he visualised his hand on her shoulder, turning her around to face him. In that moment, what he wanted the most was to find the familiar assassin in her eyes – vain, lustful, ferocious. He needed to see the Skarlet he knew, the old enemy, now unlikely associate. The very thought of finding sorrow and hurt in her eyes made him shudder, as did the fact that he was feeling so concerned.

He found her on deck. She faced away from him, leaning on the railing in pensive demeanour. Her dark hair blew careless in the wind. Kuai Liang stood at the top of the stairs leading downwards, transfixed on the view. If for only that moment, Skarlet looked so much like someone else: one lover from his youth as a Lin Kuei apprentice, and another from a past life in the very Netherrealm he was about to venture into. In their melancholy, Luda and Sareena found warmth in Sub-Zero's arms. For all that those times lasted, Sub-Zero felt like something other than the cryomancer apprentice, or the Lin Kuei Grandmaster.

But now, his entire being started and ended with his duty to Earthrealm and his clan. He was nothing else but a cold blade against evil.

He could not be what Skarlet wanted, or needed, he told himself.

But there was a logical follow-up to the notion. What did he want? Had he any wants at all anymore, as a man with a soul and a pulse? Sub-Zero buried the thought and walked back to the quarters to clean up after their strange chat over tea. But when he picked up her cup, he could not help but thinking Skarlet was right: her hair did grow quite quickly.

When he was done, he retreated back to the storeroom, and quietly meditated in the dark. The intention behind him brewing tea for Skarlet still eluded him. Despite all that he claimed, he did not feel sincere in the slightest.

[ ]

The sky was the colour of steel and lead in the Sankha regions. It clashed coldly against the colour of the waves, which remained as red as Skarlet's own heart. She could still catch the sight of her own reflection on the water. The assassin has always rejoiced in her own natural beauty. She flaunted it for her own amusement however she liked. It signified a kind of prestige that made her stand out from the rest of Shao Kahn's generals. But her own face looked foreign to her now. It was no different than before she disfigured herself in her grief over her Master's death.

Before Cetrion found her, and restored the woman from the thing she made herself into. Her words, her suggestion was still in Skarlet's ears, and it metabolised into purpose. That was the very reason she joined Sub-Zero in his mission to the Netherrealm, after all.

She was anxious over the ship's arrival. Skarlet could well begin to count the seconds to the fulfilment of her purpose. This was what she wanted. But at the same time, she fought a strong impulse to throw herself overboard into the crimson sea, sink and drown in it. And she could not dare a guess to why.

Her knees were stiff against the railing. Her feet planted so firmly against the boards that they began to cramp. She felt sick.

"Sub-Zero." She said, not knowing or caring if he was there to hear.

_Help me. _


	4. Chapter 4

The ship docked on Sankha's shores at midday. All that was red in the clouds and sea lay far behind in a lifeless horizon. Warm sand, a sky full of light, and bursting vegetation greeted the visitors like a sight for sore eyes. Even the air felt different, like the island belonged to a different, geographically impossible height. This was the kind of place a frivolous soul would seek for leisure. But Sankha, much like the rich islands of the Pacific Ocean in Earthrealm, concealed its darkest secrets deep in the core.

A paradise that housed a gate to hell.

The irony was lost to nobody.

Old Man Kharon did not seem particularly enthused about stationing his ship anywhere but his own domains. He spoke dryly to the island's inhabitants who tended the port, as they went about their duty to tie down the ship. Sub-Zero insisted the need for his assistance ended with their arrival to Sankha. But though Kharon could have sailed back home with no consequences, he chose to stay and wait on their return. It would set his mind at ease, the old man said.

But Sub-Zero knew, from past voyages aboard Kharon's ship, that it was mainly a bad augur to sail away so soon. Regardless, if the mission went smoothly, he may find the ship still docked for the way back. Less certain than that was whether Skarlet would be aboard as well. He certainly viewed her in a different way than before the voyage started, but he still harboured doubts. She was not particularly known for being a manipulator, but underestimating an assassin's penchant for duplicity was potentially a deadly mistake.

It only made sense that he would continue to closely observe her. But things were somewhat different now. She kept stealing glances, preening herself with teasing smiles. But sometimes her eyes lingered one or two blinks longer, as if faced with a change she could not fully understand. This made him wonder if something had changed in the way he looked at her, albeit without his conscious knowledge. It bothered him that he would pay mind to trifles as these, and it bothered him further that she suddenly looked somewhat innocent and perplexed.

Had he made a mistake aboard the ship, trying to see her as anything other than a foe?

Kuai Liang buried the thought and gave Kharon his thanks. He set out into the thick green ahead, with a red shadow at his heels. The rich scents of the local flora instantly filled Liang's nostrils, but this sweet aroma was not enough to overwhelm the subtle lingering of Skarlet's perfume. If he did not know any better, he could swear his own clothes smelled like her.

The first stretch of the journey through the rainforest of Sankha was relatively brief. It could not have been longer than an hour, by Earthrealm's measure. But by the time the vegetation thinned out in the vicinity of the outer caves, it was somehow already sunset. Such was one of the many peculiar phenomena the island was known for. Skarlet walked silently during this time – an indication that her games stayed behind in the shores and the sail across the Sea of Blood. Only the mission mattered from this point forward.

However, as they cleared thick barrier of green, Sub-Zero was met with the most unexpected sight. Usually, yellow was a welcome colour in his eyes, but the presence of such a large Shirai-Ryu encampment raised alarming questions. After all, it was agreed by all involved parties that no faction should inhabit the island other than its own natives. Certain delegations were permitted temporary stationing as long as they represented the welfare of all Realms. And that too must be held to a consensus.

Though the Lin Kuei and the Shirai-Ryu were brother clans, the latter had no business in Sankha.

Sub-Zero's presence was immediately noticed by one soldier, who quickly fetched their superior. The rows of Shirai-Ryu stood in salutation as the Lin Kuei Grandmaster approached the encampment. Likewise, every one of them also marked Skarlet's presence. A murmur travelled across the yellow rows, finally silenced with the entrance of their superior.

None other than the clan's Grandmaster, Hanzo Hasashi. The Scorpion.

"Master Kuai Liang." Scorpion greeted in the traditional manner.

"Master Hasashi." Sub-Zero saluted his friend, but reverence between them was often short. "I did not expect to meet you here."

"The feeling is mutual, my friend. I am certain you have many questions." He turned a shocked and contemptuous gaze towards Sub-Zero's unlikely companion. "And on that too, you are not alone."

"We must talk." Kuai Liang maintained a formal demeanour.

"We shall. I don't often keep things from my clan. But we'll need privacy. Follow me." Hasashi said, turning once more to Skarlet. "You too."

The Red Assassin seemed unaffected by Scorpion's attitude towards her. She looked neither defiant, nor mocking of the clan's head authority. The eyes of many Shirai Ryu fell on Skarlet as she walked closely behind Sub-Zero - some due to attraction, and many others due to mistrust and plain loathing. She in turn paid them no attention. Nothing seemed to alter her expression – that of someone who knew a little more than the rest; amused self-satisfaction.

Inside and out, Scorpion's tent looked no different than any of his ninja. It was austere and plain, like that of any foot soldier. The one distinction was a small square table at the centre of the tent, and a couple of jars to the side. This sight was not a foreign one to Sub-Zero, but he anticipated this audience would be quite different from all the times the two Masters sat down for a drink. History had seen the animosity between the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu buried in the sands of a lost time. That bond was baptised in a toast with strong rice wine, a habit maintained by the Masters in the current generation as a gesture of friendship and honesty.

Hanzo Hasashi served the drink to Kuai Liang as an appeal to his honesty. Serving one for Skarlet was a thing nobody in the tent expected. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster surmised it was mere courtesy, for there was no esteem in his heart towards her.

Sub-Zero and Scorpion passed the drink with a burn in the throat they both found pleasant. Skarlet hardly needed a sampling sniff to dread the beverage; this wine was nothing like what she used to have in Shao Kahn's palace. She knew already that it would turn her senses against her. Rather than entertaining the risk of ridiculing herself, she left the glass untouched. Regardless of this lapse, she retained her cool. Both of the Masters noticed this, but gave no show of amusement.

"Why are you here?" Scorpion wasted no time, once the glass clinked against the table.

"I recently was assigned a mission by the one of the Elder Gods. Cetrion. The purpose is to retrieve somebody, a soul with powers on a potentially divine scale down in the Netherrealm, far from the reach of any parties who may threaten the realms with such a soul." Sub-Zero summarised.

"Why did Cetrion choose you for the task?" Hasashi asked.

"My abilities and ways make me suitable for it. And I have an ally in the Netherrealm who could aid the mission's success." There was no pride nor humility in Kuai Liang's voice.

"Sound reasoning." Scorpion nodded. "Now, is she involved in the mission as well?" He disregarded subtlety on the matter most glaring.

"Cetrion enlisted her as well. Her abilities as tracker should prove useful." Kuai Liang spoke dryly.

"A standard retrieval with unnaturally high stakes… And after that?"

"I will submit myself to whichever end Cetrion has for me." Skarlet spoke ahead before Sub-Zero could make his doubts known. "Be it servitude or death."

"Nothing outside of what you already know, I see." Scorpion said coldly. The crimson assassin made no visible reaction to the comment.

"You know now of our purpose in Sankha, Master Hasashi. Now you must tell me that of the Shirai Ryu in the island."

Scorpion kept quiet for a moment, as if looking for the right words.

"Presumably to aid you in this mission of yours."

"It is appreciated." Sub-Zero was confused about his comrade's answer. "But something is unclear to me still. The voyage to this place takes weeks, but you were already here by the time we arrived. You could not have known of this unless Cetrion had reached out to you beforehand."

"She did not." A shadow of annoyance loomed over Hanzo Hasashi's brow, and it then seeped into his voice. "We have been stationed here for nearly a week."

"How?"

Skarlet concealed her growing smirk by resting her chin on her hand.

"A month ago, we received notice that something was about to occur on this island. The message was fastidiously vague, but the implications were clear. As long as it has anything to do with the Netherrealm, it must not go unchecked." Scorpion said.

"It is too long a way for such a message." Sub-Zero said. "Especially for you to come here yourself."

"I would have simply sent a dozen squads, twofold if necessary… if not for this."

Hasashi produced the message in question. The scroll contained no more information than what Scorpion described. But that was not the thing that caught Sub-Zero's eye. The message bore a very particular circular image beneath the writing, and a waxen reprisal on the back. It was the hidden seal of the Deadly Alliance, a council formed by a hundred organisations across Earthrealm, Outworld, and Edenia, purposed to upholding the peace of all Realms. Both the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu were authorities in that council. The seal in question was reserved only for business of the utmost urgency. Access to the seal was unforgivingly restricted.

"The seal… but who could have…?" Sub-Zero began, but he was cut short by Skarlet finally breaking into laughter. The two men glared at her, instantly suspecting her.

"I had not placed much faith in it. But it worked!"

"Explain yourself, Skarlet." Kuai Liang demanded.

"Master Hasashi, Master Kuai Liang. I was the one who sent the message. And before you think of skewing me open, let me explain myself."

Their silence was sharp like an expectant blade hanging above her. Any word they found unsatisfactory would likely signify her end.

"I did this for you and I, Sub-Zero."

"What?"

"Do you think I could expect you to trust me, even though I would blindly place my life and my body in your hands? I am not a fool, Kuai Liang. To my knowledge, Cetrion had only summoned us two for this mission. And I knew you would have your doubts about me." Skarlet smiled. "But I suspected you would feel more at ease if you had a little aid from a friend. I certainly would, as I've never been in the Netherrealm myself. I did not expect that the Scorpion would show up himself, though."

"But how could you have obtained the seal?" Scorpion asked, bewildered.

"I did not. This is a counterfeit; an exquisite one, but a counterfeit all the same." Skarlet pulled a cylindrical item out of a pocket. It looked a far cry from the true seal, but the pattern carved on the bottom end was a perfect copy. An item of such a kind was extremely rare, and undoubtedly suited for devious reasons.

"This is…" Sub-Zero began, as he examined the counterfeit seal.

"… Something I obtained as recompense for aiding the Naknadan Liberation Front." She chuckled, remembering the war in which the Naknadan population finally broke free from slavery in a distant world. She participated in the conflict as a mercenary, which became her role in the shadows after Shao Kahn's death. "I seem to recall some Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu fighting alongside the Naknada as well, meaning this would not be the first time we have cooperated."

Both men stared at her agape.

"Get out." Kuai Liang said bluntly.

"I will be waiting outside." Skarlet said, teasing. "Thank you for your hospitality, Master Hasashi."

"Out." Hasashi growled.

The woman in red made a poor show of keeping a straight face as she exited the tent. She waited outside while Sub-Zero and Scorpion held a heated discussion on the matters at hand, as well as what Hanzo Hasashi deemed 'her mischief'. Skarlet patiently bore the weight of countless Shirai Ryu eyes for nearly an hour, until the two men finally came out, looking no less stern than before. Scorpion, as expected, still had murder in his eyes. Kuai Liang looked cold as ever, but he seemed nowhere nearly as hostile; he even beckoned her to join them with a nod of the head.

A sound pierced the idleness suddenly. Scorpion's whistling echoed through the green, and the ninja scattered across the camp went into formation in a matter of seconds. As one, the rows of warriors clad in black and yellow awaited for Scorpion's command. The Clan's Master briefed the Shirai Ryu in straight forward manner, describing the mission at hand, leaving no vital details untold. All of what Scorpion said was information Skarlet already knew.

Except for one thing.

"Retrieval must be swift. The soul in question may harbour divine power, but it is still a child."

A child.

Skarlet became deaf to the rest of the briefing. All she heard were Cetrion's words repeating themselves over like a maddening echo. Why would Scorpion be speaking of a child, when the Elder God had said nothing of the sort? She instantly turned to look at Sub-Zero, desperate to find an answer to a question she barely could construct. But she found no surprise in the man's factions. He knew it was a child - had always known.

The woman quietly retreated past some bushes, lest she arouse suspicion in Sub-Zero by the emotions written on her face. She followed the faint smell of mud, followed by the distant sound of running water. And soon, she came upon a stream. The water was cool and clear, as faithful a mirror she had. In it, she saw her own face, branded with anger and resentment. Yet it took little imagination for her own reflection to change before her own eyes, into something repulsive and distorted, which nonetheless was woefully familiar.

Time had passed, but the cluster of horror and despair remained, like a stone at the pit of her stomach. Skarlet disfigured herself in grief-fuelled madness after Shao Kahn's death, unmaking her features and clawing her own eyes out. She could have easily mended her own beauty as easily as any other wound, but her very sense of self was snuffed out with her Emperor's defeat. She had no use for a name, or a face until madness somehow turned to blind hope. Skarlet gathered herself together and tangled herself in conflict for only an uncertain reason. She hunted for means and solutions, but everything led to nothing, sooner or later… until an Elder God spoke in her ear.

In much the same manner as the water shimmers with the sunlight, Cetrion mended Skarlet's visage and her mental stability. Her words were suitably cryptic, but beneath it all, Skarlet found a proposal, and a purpose. The assassin felt the renewed enthusiasm fuelling her pulse as she devoted herself to the mission. But now, everything seemed derailed. Skarlet would have no choice but to rethink her plans if Sub-Zero spoke true.

If the little God in Hell was indeed a child.

Skarlet splashed water on her face, washing the weakness away, and returned to camp. She looked normal by the time Sub-Zero's eyes and hers met. He, in turn, appeared to suspect nothing.

The briefing proper was over, but the rows of Shirai Ryu remained in place.

"We will leave tomorrow at daybreak." Sub-Zero said.

"Perfect. The rest of this day should suffice for preparations." Skarlet agreed.

"Given the nature of your mission, you will need a squad, rather than an army, as I first thought." Scorpion stated. "All of the Shirai Ryu present are competent and valorous. They will suit the task well. I shall accompany you and my people throughout."

"No."

Sub-Zero's firm and sudden refusal turned all heads towards him. Everybody, Skarlet included, was baffled. There were some among the Shirai Ryu who took this as an offence against Master Hasashi, but even they dared not even curse under their breath. As for Scorpion himself, he looked visibly annoyed. However, having learned patience, he waited for a reason.

"Deplorable and capricious as her means were, Skarlet did the right thing. This mission requires swiftness and a high degree of subterfuge, and it may truly be a great risk for two alone. With the stakes at hand, the Godling, and the unpredictability of the Netherrealm, it may truly be a great risk for two alone. My friend, I do not doubt your ability. Were it any other mission, I would be without hesitance. But your reputation in the Netherrealm may bring all the attention we cannot afford."

Hanzo Hasashi frowned on his comrade's response.

"I did lead most of the offence when we hunted Quan Chi down." Scorpion acknowledge with a sigh.

"Some would go as far as saying you alone waged the war on the Brotherhood of Shadow - that you won it, furthermore. I would not be surprised if there were words below invented only because of you."

"There are. Most of them insults, from what I've heard." Skarlet chuckled at the memory of the whispers heard during her days as a mercenary. The comment did not please Scorpion, though even he did not think she was lying. "Having the Scorpion with us would be like painting a target on our backs."

"We will accept the help of any men and women you would assign. I promise, I will treat them as if they were my own."

The Shirai Ryu Grandmaster conceded with a gesture vaguely akin to a younger, unrulier man.

"Choose. I personally vouch for each of them."

"We'll go." A familiar voice called out from the far left of the formation. A woman marched ahead from the formation with four ninja behind her. Sub-Zero and Skarlet looked both surprised, while a shade of concern appeared over Scorpion's brow.

All of the ninja present were a force to be reckoned with, but even amongst the exceptional, there was one who stood out. Before them stood Jacqueline Sonya Briggs, liaison between the Shirai Ryu and Earthrealm Special Forces. Though she was considered family through her marriage to Lieutenant Takeda Takahashi, her own accomplishments earned her the recognition and respect of her peers present. The woman saluted her Master and Sub-Zero with reverence between warriors. She greeted Skarlet as well, but not before shooting a challenging glance her way.

Jacqui, as she was affectionately known, was born under peculiar circumstances. The death of her father, Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs was prevented in this timeline, therefore also preventing the path that eventually led to him meeting Jacqueline's mother. As with many other events to be reprised, changed or avoided, it took Liu Kang - during his brief stint as a God - great effort to weave and arrange the threads of causality in order for Jax and Vera to meet. Perhaps it was a divine whim to spend so much time and power to give one individual soul the chance to exist again. But it was one he gladly and dutifully took.

Jacqui and Skarlet never met in this timeline, though the latter's reputation still crossed the boundary of time. The estranged memory of a bloody encounter that never happened remained in Jacqueline's head. So it stood to reason that she would treat Skarlet with mistrust.

Briggs' intention was transparent to all. She would be the leash to hold Skarlet in check, should she try anything suspicious. The young woman herself did not care to deny it.

Hanzo Hasashi called the end of it, and gave permission for all to return to their activities.

"I will hold you to that promise, Liang." Scorpion whispered to Sub-Zero. "She's like a daughter to me."

"Then she will be to me also. She and her squad will return safe. I promise."

[ ]

Afternoon turned to evening, and the fires in the clearing crackled gently beneath the sky. During this time, Sub-Zero and Scorpion afforded some time to spend as friends. Drinking before a mission of this calibre was not an option, and neither was the customary sparring afterwards. So they took to working the island's soil for the rest of the day; even if they would be gone by the time the earth yielded fruit, a simple activity like this was all they needed.

Skarlet sat alone by a fire on the edge of the camp. She was bored, and by now irritated by the glances of Shirai Ryu on her. All he could do was stare at the fire, and factor everything she learned today for the mission at hand. Beneath the calculations and the planning, she felt the familiar cravings. Her reserves of blood would last her for a couple of weeks more, but satisfaction did not dull the hunger provoked by blood magic. The hunger was without the pleasure of anticipation since Cetrion spoke to her.

Just thinking of the Elder God filled her mouth with a bitter taste.

The night was cool and pleasant. From the corner of her eye, she could see some Shirai Ryu pairing up and passing the time, not as warriors or Earthrealm tools, but as people; friends, spouses, lovers. Some of Skarlet's anger towards Cetrion extended to Sub-Zero. Even so, she imagined him sitting by the fire with her. She always knew him to be a quiet man, even before their first encounter years ago. The first precious few words had her wish for more ever since, despite their willingness to kill each other in battle.

The journey across the Sea of Blood closed the chasm between them, even if just a little. Communication had bloomed where once had only been silence. She reckoned that was more than what she could have realistically expected. If she could afford recalling actual conversations they had, and even being displeased at him, she may as well indulge her imagination a little. Had she not earned it, thriving without even a thought on satisfying her hungers?

Skarlet found the shine of the fire too distracting. She closed her eyes and pictured Kuai Liang sitting across from her on the other side of the flame. His scent was there, brought alive from memory. His voice fell on her ear like a silky whisper, equally soft as mighty, mingling with the crackling of the fire. What words he said, she did not know or care; they sufficed to break the hold of her increasing anxieties.

Her chest rose and fell with her breathing, growing ever slower. Small beads of sweat rolled down her neck and into her travel robes. Her lips trembled with a shudder of heat running up her spine, as he went from talking to touching. Within seconds, her hands resting on her knees would no longer be idle.

"Creep."

Skarlet's eyes flew open. All that remained of the moment was the product of her imaginings on her skin. But she was not alone. Jacqui stood on the other side of the fire, arms crossed. The assassin in red was embarrassed about being snuck up on – it was a stumble in competence she could not afford nor forgive.

"What do you want?"

"Everyone knows you're up to something." Jacqueline said. "Nobody's even bothering to play it down, either. We're all just preparing for when time when you go all backstabby."

"That's not an answer to my question, child." Skarlet poisoned the word.

"Right." Jacqui sat down across from her. "I'm just here to keep you company a bit. You're looking real sad all on your own here, pining the night away."

Skarlet said nothing. The hostility written on her face was enough, but the message slid off of the Special Forces liaison like it was nothing. The young woman spent a while longer by the fire, leaving the weight of her presence on Skarlet's shoulders.

"I remember you from another timeline, even though I've never met you… however that works. You're basically a stranger to me. All I know about you is that you're one of Shao Kahn's infamous daughters, meaning an enemy. Funny how that works, right? The whole switching sides thing."

"Strange circumstances make for strange alliances."

"You got me there. You could say the same about Sub-Zero. He once was turned into Quan Chi's soldier. Depending how you see it, that is a 'strange circumstance' too. Horrible, more like." Jacqui let the silence stew. "He trained me for some time, you know? Both in this and another life, I remember every day of it. Good times. He's like the awkward, stiff uncle I never had." Jacqueline smiled, reminiscing. "And I'll blast you open where you stand if you get any funny ideas."

Skarlet glared at her.

"Hey, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know."

Those were the last words uttered that night around that fire. The tension never decreased for even a moment, as the two women held each other's gaze defiantly until they turned in. Skarlet spent the night in the same tent as Sub-Zero and two other Shirai Ryu. Jacqueline left confident that the message was loud and clear. However, despite Skarlet's infamous history and reputation, she somehow did not match her memory of her from a past life. It was as if she had changed in some way.


	5. Chapter 5

Sub-Zero and Skarlet initially expected the journey through the forest to take at least as long as the trek through the Sea of Blood. The Shirai Ryu's preparations cut that length in half, and somehow the time across the green felt even shorter. The days were no different from the nights – all hours were marked with silence, either from mistrust towards the crimson assassin, or for the necessity to stay alert. For although there were no records of dangerous predators in the local fauna, all seven felt a presence nearby at all times.

Kuai Liang still retained uneasy memories of the infamous Living Forests of Outworld back in the mainland. It was no stretch of the imagination that the presence they felt was actually the forest itself, observing their every move as they went further. He knew the behaviour of the sentient trees, and how small a threat posed as long as they advanced peacefully. Nonetheless, he remained cautious on the chance that there was indeed something or somebody following them. And there was another possibility to consider, however unlikely.

That something had come out of the portal from the Netherrealm out into these woods.

Skarlet was particularly mystified, as her abilities came into use early. She could indeed sense life around them, but her blood magic was only detecting small life forms. Rodents, birds, and reptiles; none of which stirred the silence like this unknown otherness did. Like Sub-Zero, she also came to the conclusion that something might have come out through the portal, which in turn, led her to a stark realisation. Her usefulness in this mission came with a significant drawback. Whereas she would be able to find the little God in Hell and avoid encounters with demons and wraiths, she could do nothing to detect the abundant ethereal bloodless beings below.

Though immaterial, they posed a definite danger. Sacrificing privacy with Kuai Liang seemed a more enticing prospect now. The more eyes and blades to keep enemies at bay the better. And she could deal with Sub-Zero, Jacqui and the four ninja with greater ease than with ravenous phantoms, when the time came.

_When the time came… _

Skarlet felt the anticipation tightening her chest. The euphoria was something she guarded closely, with stone-faced zeal. But every step closer to the fulfilment of her purpose was an ordeal on its own. She could not afford to dwell on the things she has learned, especially about the budding God. Her private mission was all that mattered, even should she perish down in the Netherrealm. The slightest moment of hesitation may prevent her from using the little God to resurrect her Master forevermore.

Shao Kahn. In the assassin's eyes, there was no Skarlet without Shao Kahn. The relevance of her existence began and ended with him.

For what remained of the journey, the anticipation would occasionally turn into pain.

[ ]

They arrived at the cavernous maw of the portal on the dawn of the sixth day since leaving the Shirai Ryu encampment. A lonely, hollow gate stood before them thirty metres ahead, framed in darkness. The sight was quite new for all, except Sub-Zero. Nearly every portal into another realm summoned activity with hardly any outside influence; it took barely a breeze for the energies that connected the planes of existence to translate into a spark. But this one, decommissioned through magic and hellfire, looked suitably lifeless. For all the horrors the seven had seen in their lifetimes present and past, it was still an eerie sight.

"A gate to Hell. Rodin couldn't dream this shit…" Jacqui said. "How do we make it work?"

Sub-Zero exhaled audibly, purging the final dregs of hesitation from his being.

"Stay here."

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster walked into the shadows. As his silhouette grew smaller, the four Shirai Ryu ninja – codenames Kaneda, Aioi, Sparrow, and Daybreak – took the initiative to approach a sensible distance, for Sub-Zero's sake. Skarlet followed suit, going so far as to peer over his shoulder. If he felt annoyance at the liberty she took, he did not vocalise it.

"What are you doing?" Skarlet asked.

"Awakening the portal." Sub-Zero crouched over the dust-covered stone floor. With the tips of his fingers, he wrote a series of scriptures on the ground. It was an amalgam of several written dialects from six Realms, a code entrusted to only a handful of individuals should the portal need be activated. Skarlet recognised a portion of the code, or rather its etymological link to a language spoken in Outworld. She could not fully identify the meaning, but she could certainly tell it was a very, very old language.

Once he finished tracing the code on the dust, he placed his hand a few centimetres above the surface. And with a firm palm, he struck on the centre of the scripture, making the words come alive. Every line turned into a shimmer, and one by one, the code slithered across the floor and walls towards the gate. And within seconds, the fiery light of an operational portal did away with the shadows. Nobody could see what awaited on the other side, only the turning the vortex that beckoned.

Now that gate was open, Sub-Zero called to his companions.

"This is old magic, the kind that can only be used scarcely. Once we cross over, this portal can only be activated again on this side after time has passed and the ground has collected dust. We'll likely need to do this on the other side to get back. And this means, we'll only get one opportunity to succeed in this mission. Otherwise, we may have to spend an unpleasantly long time in the Netherrealm for a second chance."

"One shot only. Understood, Sub-Zero." Jacqui nodded.

Kuai Liang turned to look at the wild card in their midst. His eyes met a gaze nearly as cold as his own. Skarlet was evidently ready to display her abilities at their fullest. And whatever shall be, shall be.

[ ]

The Netherrealm. It suited Skarlet's expectations, while defying them at the same time. Certainly a dark place, but the wide expanse to a sand-coloured sky above, and the vistas of large cities on the shores of black rivers were nothing like Outworld's, or even Earthrealm's traditional imagery of Hell. The looked too fertile to be the fiery wasteland from tales of old. Alas, it took them some time to emerge from the cavern, where the portal had been built, to reach the top of Mount Sohol and behold the landscape. The four Shirai Ryu began preliminary scouting before the squad embarked on the first stage of the mission: rendezvous with Sub-Zero's friend and liaison in the Netherrealm, Sareena.

A few minutes later, the Shirai Ryu reported back to confirm what Skarlet already suspected. There was nothing that suited her favourite definition of 'alive' nearby. This also meant they were relatively safe at the moment. The current time was early evening, or what could pass as such. Come nightfall, this place may not be so secure anymore. They had to carry on.

Surreptitiously, in the shadow of a long sleeve, the assassin absorbed a drop of blood from one of her flasks as she walked. Though she was sure to encounter beings with a pulse, she might find their blood lacking. After all, the life that bloomed in Hell had a tendency to germinate death also. The past weeks were an exercise in measure. Since she hardly needed to use blood magic, she tested herself to know how long she could survive with as little blood as possible. Full abstinence meant death for one like her, thus she became acquainted with her own limits throughout the journey to Sankha.

And she was now treading on the delicate boundaries.

Whenever she did consume blood - be it aboard Kharon's ship or at the Shirai Ryu encampment - she always did it far away from Sub-Zero's eyes. This was an indulgence, perhaps the only one she could get when it came to him. If their alliance is to come apart in the end, she wanted him to see her as something else than the Outworld Blood Taker.

_See me. _

As they descended the mount, with Sub-Zero at the vanguard, Jacqui gazed in Skarlet's direction. She was unsure of what her eyes told her. For that fleeting moment, it seemed to Jacqui that the Assassin in Red looked ashamed. Those seconds alone put her leagues away from the Skarlet she knew. Regardless, she put the thought aside and concentrated on the present task.

The seven advanced onwards to the nearest city.

[ ]

Night in Hell was a unique phenomenon to behold. It was the uncanny mixture of different atmospheres. Wherever the seven would turn, there was something to see. The streets were swarming, paradoxically, with life; demons, undead, and nameless folk – all walking in many directions at once. There were merchants and peddlers, craftspeople and mercenaries. There was also food and drink, sold in generous amounts. Though apparently pleasing to the senses, Sub-Zero and company did not find any of this particularly appetising for the time being.

The immediate cityscape truly was not unlike an Earthrealm bazaar, or an Outworld market. There was a distinct feeling of festivity in the air. But that clashed with the steely caution of heavy gates closing behind them as soon as they made it to the city. The grand doors would remain locked for the remainder of the night; nothing would be allowed entrance. Kuai Liang weighed the situation, and suspected that for all the mirth around them, there was something to dread beyond the city walls.

It has been a long time since he has been in the Netherrealm. He could not wager a guess on what dwelt outside, but he felt fortunate nonetheless. Skarlet, on the other hand, felt less so.

The sight and sound of devil children, running carefree about the labyrinthine alleyways made her anxious. In any other occasion, she might have laughed about her conscience speaking louder when deprived of her usual feed. But she had no laughter inside of her; she already barely tolerated the implications of her plan, and herself by extension. Then, as if mocking her, a pang of hunger suddenly twisted her stomach. It was so intense she may well have doubled over in pain. But Skarlet did not let that ache manifest. She managed to block out the innocence in sight, and look on the mass as a faceless, overgrown snack she chose not to indulge in.

One more drop from her flask, consumed an hour sooner than she expected.

"Stay close." Sub-Zero's voice in her ear was sobering.

The group managed to find a relatively secluded place in the main avenue. They thought it a rare find, so they made themselves as comfortable as they could, beneath the awning of a stout building. The peoples passing by did not seem to mind them.

"Well, this one's a doozy." Jacqui said. "Have to say, the Netherrealm looks very different from how I remember it."

"It is." Sub-Zero said. "The last time I was here, the only true settlement was a vast necropolis beyond the river of fire."

"Master Sub-Zero." Aioi handed Sub-Zero a shabby robe. "We may need to masquerade as vagrants." The ninja said. "Our group is too large to go entirely unnoticed."

"Good thinking." Jacqui acknowledged. "Sub-Zero, are there any hostile parties to consider?"

"None to my knowledge, but we will soon obtain further, more accurate information."

"The liaison, Master Sub-Zero?" Daybreak asked, her voice betraying more interest than intended.

"Yes. Finding Sareena will be key for this mission. Nobody knows the Netherrealm like she."

"Is this Sareena a friend of yours?" Skarlet asked.

"She is." He said curtly. "Her efforts have been an invaluable aid for the defence of the Realms. And so they will be for this undertaking."

"Where are we to locate her?" Jacqui asked.

"There's an underground structure in the centre of the Yellow Valley." Sub-Zero spoke quietly. "The Fortress of Solitude."

Though the Shirai Ryu were masked, they all tried to suppress a smirk. Still, they could not help but exchange a look of amusement.

"Really?" Jacqui was more forthcoming.

Sub-Zero released an annoyed sigh.

"Yes."

"Is it made of ice? I bet you built it for her. That's really sweet, Sub-Zero." She laughed.

Sub-Zero did not look amused, like Jacqui and the Shirai Ryu, despite their attempt at discretion. But Skarlet looked visibly displeased, not only at the implications behind Jacqui's quip, but also from feeling she was in the dark about something everybody else knew. This was a habit of Earthrealmers Skarlet found particularly grating.

"Regardless." Sub-Zero interrupted. "It should be five days away. Less, if we can find means of transportation."

"Alright. Then the first item on the list will be procuring horses. I think I saw stables around the city's entrance." Jacqui said.

"I will look into it." Kaneda, the squad's treasurer, spoke. "If possible, I'll get horses or a suitable alternative for us to ride after dawn. Supplies, as well."

"Good. I will also need one of you to gather information on the cities, currency, laws... if possible, the reason the gates are closed. Whether it is five days of travel or two, we cannot risk any encounters. We must remain in control at all times."

The lively mood in the street never died down, as the night went by. And neither did the activity within the small group. The Shirai Ryu quickly proved their worth by obtaining the assets Sub-Zero required, and then some. As a result, they possessed enough resources to stay a night on each city en route to the Yellow Valley. This was a fair compensation for the one thing they were lacking: the precise reason the city gates were locked at night. Every inquiry was met with fear and suspicion, but even this ominous incognita was an answer on its own.

Sareena was the protector of the Netherrealm, Sub-Zero thought. Surely she would know what kind of peril stalked the plains. For the time being, they had no choice but to heed the fears of the populace, no matter how vague.

With nothing else to do, the group of seven dined around the fire, and turned in soon after, as one remained awake and vigilant. Late supper turned out a more social event than anticipated, as Jacqui and her Shirai Ryu companions proved amiable company. Even Sub-Zero was persuaded to partake, while never once foregoing his usual demeanour. Skarlet, however, remained silent through it all. She ordinarily held no interest for these activities. But as her mood continued to sour from the avalanche in her mind, even her position as an outsider bothered her.

All of a sudden, some unwanted thought came into her head. How there was only one reason she was allowed to participate in this mission. In their eyes, she had one use: to detect the Little God. Before and after, she was inconsequential.

_Worthless._

No, she thought. This was a pathetic indulgence belonging to a frail adolescent. She was the Kahn's only loyal daughter. There was no room in her priorities for foolish trifles, whether in thought or deed. The taste of her own blood saturated her palate as she chewed on her tongue to cleanse the frailness from her mind.

All of this made her weary. But at the very least, one thing occurred as she wanted. The group had no choice but to spend the night in this small patch of street beneath the awning, all cramped together. It was uncomfortable, but she would not complain. For once, she could sleep close to Kuai Liang; feel the warmth he zealously guarded, and intoxicate herself with the sound of his breathing as he slept.

One last curious thought before she joined him in slumber.

She was pretty sure he was still awake when she laid her head on his shoulder. He did not push her away.

_Let me have this. Please, just let me have this._

[ ]

It may have been day or night when Skarlet woke up. It made no difference when her surroundings were thick stone walls, and lamps hanging from a tall ceiling. Her muscles ached, but she had no explanation for that beyond a vague feeling of confrontation. Everything seemed rather blurry, but she could still see her wrists and ankles were in shackles. There was a flank of iron bars in front of her, from wall to wall. Across from her, Jacqui and her Shirai Ryu were in the same state as she.

"You're finally awake." Sub-Zero was next to her, with a trail of dried blood running down his head.

"What happened?" Skarlet asked.

But before Kuai Liang could begin to give an answer, the sound of doors slamming open dominated the air. In walked a lean figure, with two heavily armoured individuals at each side.


	6. Chapter 6

There was hardly much light below in the city's prison. The gloom of the Netherrealm somehow dulled even the light of the torches. But for the trained eye, this was just a modest inconvenience. The seven, dazed as they were, could tell this was trouble. The events of hours past rushed by in confusion, and even if they could not know the motive, they knew the burden of consequence. The visitor, flanked by two guards, was here because of them.

Sub-Zero, Jacqui, the four Shirai Ryu – they all stood in expectation of what was to come next. But Skarlet was quite prepared to kill in an instant. It would only take but a whim to solidify needles in their blood stream, after which breaking out would be just as simple. Afterwards, alertness and deadly caution would prevent them from falling to the same unknown circumstances that knocked them out earlier. They would carry on with the plan, and she would be closer to fulfilling her purpose.

But this cold, pragmatic reasoning was not the one thing behind her latent carnage. She still could not sense Sub-Zero's pulse, but she could sense Jacqui's, and her companions as well. And she certainly could sense the stranger's blood rushing quicker as they approached the exact spot where Sub-Zero stood, on the other side of the bars. She recognised this tempo.

Even before the stranger's factions came into view beneath the cowl, Skarlet found herself guessing. And like a taunt to her alone, she was proven right, one feature at a time. A streak of white on long black hair, demonic facial marks, and bright grey eyes that saw nobody else present. This was Sub-Zero's liaison. Sareena.

"Kuai Liang…" She spoke, her voice sounded barely above a whisper. And the last syllable of his name hung on her tongue like a refusal to surrender it to the silence.

Her heart beat faster. And Skarlet's knuckles tightened around the bars tighter.

"It's really you." She continued with subdued enthusiasm, which at this point was more than evident. "But… why are you here?"

"To find you." Sub-Zero's response stirred something in the she-demon. First, a curiosity manifested in parted lips and a shine in her eyes. Then, a sudden realisation.

"Is Earthrealm in peril?" She asked.

"Potentially, as well as the Netherrealm, Outworld and possibly all realms." Kuai Liang weighed his words carefully so as not to reveal too much, though Skarlet and Sareena imagined something beyond – jealousy and illusion.

"We must talk." Sareena stated. "Are these your companions?"

"Yes."

"Very well." She then whispered an order to the guards at her side, who immediately unlocked the cells. Sub-Zero and company were free now, but even if there was no longer need to hastily proceed with the plan, Skarlet was still of a killing mind. "Please, follow me."

"Sareena. We may need to discuss this in private." Jacqui suggested, implicitly referring to the guards that escorted them.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. If your business concerns the safety of the realms, the Netherrealm included, then it's their concern as well. They're guardians of the realm, same as I. Besides…" Sareena hesitated. "… you've come at a most tumultuous time."

[ ]

The seven were escorted a long way to a building above ground. On the exterior, it was quite inconspicuous; it mingled flawlessly amidst the rest of the cityscape. But inside, it bore a ceremonial type of luxury, almost like a temple. Adorned walls and floors, shrines and effigies everywhere, but only a handful of individuals in sight, all of which regarded them with polite detachment.

Sareena led them to the uppermost storey, where they all took a seat in a round layout. Skarlet took initiative to seat herself perpendicularly to Sub-Zero and Sareena, in order to study their faces as they spoke. She knew this was unnecessary and meaningless in regards to the mission, but she could not keep her cool at the moment. As long as she fulfilled her purpose, she thought, the effects of her blood-abstinence on her behaviour mattered none.

Jacqui sat next to the assassin, noticing she looked on edge. Her finger laid calmly on the trigger of her gauntlets for caution's sake.

Though tension was palpable, Sareena looked unaffected by it. Under clearer light, the military flavour of her attire seemed ill-fitting. Her face, every time she looked at Sub-Zero, looked more youthful. Among the praise she got outside of this realm, she was known as the Light of the Netherrealm. The accuracy of the statement was striking.

"I thank you all for your presence here." Sareena spoke. "With all that's been going on, it's a relief to see allies from outside, even if your objective differs from mine."

"What is going on?" Sub-Zero asked.

"It's… complicated. And it's the reason you were imprisoned earlier. You see… the city guard caught unsettling news last night, mere hours after the gates were closed. A few citizens reported a certain… undesirable presence."

Skarlet did not conceal the enmity in her expression as Sareena's eyes fell on her for a brief moment. Even if she had never set foot in the Netherrealm during this lifetime, her reputation as Shao Kahn's weapon likely reached far and below. That aside, she liked Sareena less and less with every second.

"But seeing you here now, I'm pleased to find it was all a misunderstanding." A bashful smile appeared on Sareena's lips. Her eyes fixed on Sub-Zero's for a moment gone on a little too long, and her expression changed to concern. "Sub-Zero, you were mistaken for… somebody else."

A shadow settled over his brow upon hearing this.

"As I understand it, the citizen who issued the report tainted your food with a certain substance. They thought that would impair your senses and prevent any harm." Sareena was careful in choosing her words. "Erroneous as this was, please understand they this out of fear."

"Is there much reason to fear these days? To lock the gates at night?" Jacqui asked.

"There is. Kuai Liang. There is no easy way for me to say this, so I'll be direct. The Brotherhood of the Shadow has returned."

"I thought they had disbanded with Quan Chi's execution." Skarlet made her voice heard for the first time since this meeting.

"They did, and stayed that way for a time. But, as of recently, they've made appearances. Exceedingly violent appearances. We don't know why or how, but they've found new motivation. In matter of only weeks, they've taken over ten cities and put all resistance to the sword. We haven't been able to predict their movements, and we don't know their goal. We've been able to discern a pattern of sorts – they only travel by night. Surveillance and access control have been the only halfway effective measures to keep the populace safe."

"That's horrible!" Jacqueline said. "Even under Quan Chi, they weren't this much of a menace."

"True."

"Is Bi-Han in their ranks?" There was something strange, and unexpected about Sub-Zero's voice. It was new even to Skarlet, who had been on fiercely opposing sides with him before. It sounded like hatred. Despite preventing his demise in Mortal Kombat, Sub-Zero's older brother still gravitated to the dark in this timeline.

Sareena's gaze met everybody with a certain pleading shame. But she could not bring herself to look at Sub-Zero in the eye. This was an answer on its own.

"Yes… We believe he's one of the Brotherhood's generals. I'm sorry."

There was no visible change in Sub-Zero's expression. Sareena, Jacqueline, and company could only suspect, but Skarlet had a better notion of what happened inside of him. Now, for the first time, she sensed a hitch in his pulse. Even the Lin Kuei Grandmaster could not wholly keep his composure in face of such a revelation.

"Considering what we're dealing with…" Jacqui broke the silence. "I think you should know what we're her for."

As per her instruction, Sparrow briefed Sareena on their mission accurate and succinctly. Another short lapse of silence followed, during which the Netherrealm protector digested the information.

"A young God in the Netherrealm?" She expressed with a look of disbelief. "How can that be?"

"We don't know. But the source is reliable." Jacqui said.

"An Elder God." A tint of venom dyed Skarlet's words. "They claim to sense this divine being, a God of life and vitality, embodied as a child. They're in this realm, far from the Elder Gods' reach."

"I see. I can understand the importance of your mission now. But, are you seven all who came to retrieve this Godling?" Sareena asked.

"We are." Sparrow answered. "A matter of this kind requires subtlety and precision. We do not wish to attract unwanted attention."

"Yes, great numbers may not do much for discretion. And relations with the Netherrealm are a delicate matter. You wouldn't want an army for this. That aside, it's imperative that you find this young God. If they were to fall in the wrong hands…"

"No…" Sub-Zero finally spoke.

And with him, everybody else ran into the same thought. Even Skarlet, who had her own agenda knew the gravity of the matter. If the Brotherhood of the Shadow claimed custody of the Godling, her mission would end in failure. Beyond that, even the crimson assassin shuddered at the thought of what the Brotherhood would be capable of with such power.

"Could that be what emboldened the Brotherhood!?" Jacqui suggested. "Could they know!?"

"I can't tell." Sareena looked at everybody with urgency. "But the time frame on these events is too close for my liking. But if our troubles are truly one and the same, then this leaves us with one question: do they already have the Godling in their hands?"

"If they don't, their expansion certainly gives them a wider network to find them." Skarlet said.

"This brings us to our purpose in finding you." Sub-Zero spoke to Sareena. "We need your aid. Information, means of transportation, possibly manpower…"

"Whatever you need, it's yours."

[ ]

At the end of the day, the plan was settled and ready to be in motion come the morning. With the information on the Netherrealm territories, settlements, and ecosystems, the group was ready to depart in search of the little God. Sareena would continue to monitor the Brotherhood's movements throughout. And the seven would be in constant communication with the she-demon through her 'shadow darlings', a large flock of birds she raised herself, trained to locate and respond with uncanny accuracy.

The role of each party was clearly set, especially that of their tracker. However, Sareena was particularly curious when it came to Skarlet. That evening, in her private offices in the temple, the Netherrealm protector asked to have a talk with Sub-Zero.

"Good evening, Kuai Liang." She said from her place at a small table in the middle of the room, the setting of which was not very different from his own. On the table's surface lay a hot kettle and two cups. The sight was quite familiar, and amiable to him. After all, this was a habit shared by two of his closest friends.

"You chose a fine brew." He said, closing the door tightly behind him. For better or worse, Master Hasashi was an emotional man with little regard for closed doors. Sareena, however, was much more conservative, and she valued privacy even when it came to friendships. Sub-Zero knew this in different ways from different lifetimes.

"You're the connoisseur, Liang." Sareena smiled. "If you say it is, then I'll count myself excited."

Sub-Zero smiled discreetly as he took his seat across from Sareena. As per custom, the host served the tea. Although the Lin Kuei Grandmaster was not used to being the guest in this situation. He felt a little awkward in the wait, and he had no choice but notice how delicate and able Sareena was in the process.

They remained in silence for a few seconds after the first sniff and the first sip. Kuai Liang was reluctant to think Sareena was taking her time savouring the beverage.

"I think I already said this, but I'm very happy to see you." She said.

"I'm pleased as well. Even with the ordeals you face, I hope you've been in good health."

"Likewise." She set her cup down for a moment. "And, how are you feeling about tomorrow?"

"Calm, and resolute. I'm confident we'll succeed. We're well equipped to undertake this mission."

"I can see that. Even a small part of the Shirai Ryu is formidable, and courage runs through the Briggs blood. That said, there's something I wish to ask you… You have someone else among you. I don't think I recognise her, but you say she will be your main tracker. How exactly will she do it?"

"She has a special set of skills. She can detect the little God by the scent of their blood. Not a drop need be shed."

"I see." Sareena took a quick sip of the tea. "Are we talking about Blood Magic?"

"Yes."

"Kuai Liang." She lowered her voice almost to a whisper. "Even here, in its birthplace, it's known to be a perilous art."

"Desperate circumstances require fitting means."

"While true, I sense she's not like the rest of you." A sudden edge blinked in Sareena's eyes. "Why is that?"

"She used to work under Shao Kahn's command." Sub-Zero admitted reluctantly.

"Kuai Liang!" She snapped. "How could you have somebody like that in your numbers!?"

"I cannot claim this alliance is without trouble. Even if she was enlisted by Cetrion, I have misgivings. Regardless, this mission may be greater than past allegiances. This must be done. Should she prove a threat, however, I will kill her myself."

"I'm not convinced. I think somebody like that could be a risk, especially for this." Sareena looked straight into Sub-Zero's eyes. "Kuai Liang, there must be other ways to find this Godling! I could accompany you, and we'll surely find a way!"

Sub-Zero showed a measure of discomfort. She realised too late that she held his hand tightly, with the zeal of a lover. But in his face, she found no trace of what she felt deep inside and desperately hoped to find reciprocated in him.

"I'm sorry. I forgot…" She reluctantly withdrew her hand.

"It's an honest mistake, Sareena." He said, but his voice lacked warmth.

A moment of silence ensued. Any suggestion to return to topic was cast aside. Despite her previous insistence, Sareena could not think of a way to provide better tracking than they had through Skarlet. But that made no difference, for her thoughts all dwelled on one thing only.

"Would it be so bad if it happened?" Sareena asked quietly, looking down. "We've been allies for a long time, in many lives at that, and we've always been kind and respectful to one another."

"It's not to be." Kuai Liang said.

"That tells me nothing. But I understand that this is just a frivolity when there's much at stake." Her lips formed a sad smile. "And yet, even if there wasn't, I know you wouldn't see me the way I see you."

"I apologise, Sareena."

"You have nothing to apologise for. I must confess I'm baffled, though. You loved me…"

"Fiercely." Sub-Zero completed the thought. "It may have happened in a past life, but I remember it, and I treasure it for what it was allowed to be."

"That comforts me, Kuai Liang. It lets me know it's not lost, and forgotten." Sareena slowly exhaled the pain out of her system. "We make do with the lot we have. I promise I won't let this compromise our friendship. You care for us, your friends and allies, your clan and Earthrealm. That's enough for me."

Sub-Zero said nothing, but his discreet smile was a fair acknowledgement of their understanding.

"That said, if I may speak some more… I worry about you. So many of the past crisis have been averted, yet you still keep your heart cold and deprived. I don't understand why. Do you ever let anyone in?"

[ ]

The contents of Skarlet's flasks are more than simple blood. It is an extract designed for nourishment and weaponising. In the former's case, she can absorb the nutrients through her fingertips in small doses, but actual oral consumption is strongly unadvised. The effects on her organism vary, but the prevailing constant is intoxication.

After weeks of relative abstinence, her first blood intake was the exact thing she knew she should not do. She first expected to quench her thirst in the heat of battle, or furtively from an unsuspecting victim. But on this night, Skarlet finds herself sitting on a windowsill, mindlessly looking at the city lights, sipping from her flask to escape her thoughts.

The substance was tasteless to her by now. Surely her tongue would soon go numb, and the rest of her body would follow until morning. For all her efforts, however, she could not fully escape her conscience. Cetrion pointed her in this direction, telling her what she chose to tell, but still giving her a clear destination. But now, on the threshold of it all, Skarlet had doubts.

You know your purpose, Skarlet. You feel it in the very matter that weaves your being. The God of Life that dwells in the Netherrealm is the path to fulfilling what you seek.

But once she found the little God, what was Skarlet to actually do? Kidnap the child and make them resurrect Shao Kahn? Force them if they would not comply?

_Am I to take the child's blood, and hope that will let me revive the Emperor myself?_

The very thought of it nauseated her. She loathed the prospect, despite her bond of gratitude to he who gave her so much. She killed at his command, without a second thought, no matter who it was. But there was one thing she never did and would never do.

She would never harm a child.

Shao Kahn never issued this order while alive. But in death, was his ghost demanding she do so?

The woman in red cursed it all. She hated the extract for not drowning these thoughts. She hated Cetrion for giving her hope. She hated Sub-Zero for rejecting her. She hated Sareena for whatever happened behind closed doors that made demon's heart beat so furiously. And she hated…

"Hey, creepy. Getting hammered before the mission? That's not good practice, you know."

Jacqui's voice made Skarlet turn suddenly with reflects too quickly for her current state.

Skarlet's mouth was open, but she could think of no words to say. No retorts to the Briggs child who seemed to enjoy antagonising her.

_Hate me._

"Don't know what's wrong with me, but I think I can sympathise for once. Even with Sub-Zero and the Shirai Ryu, I'm nervous as shit."

"What… do… you want?" Skarlet managed to say.

"Checking up on you, I guess. Call it tactical precaution. You're out main asset to succeed in this mission, after all. And maybe I felt you looked too lonely and pathetic to be the Skarlet I know."

"Go away."

"I think I just might do that. You don't sound as bad as I thought you would, so maybe you can handle your booze better than I gave you credit. So, have fun, I guess." Jacqui turned to leave, but stopped for only a moment. "You really creep me out, you know? Not just you-you. It's like you're changing somehow, right before our eyes. Don't know if it's good or bad, but whatever. Night."

Jacqueline Briggs left her alone. And hers was the last voice Skarlet heard for the remainder of the night, or at least before she passed out from drinking her extract. But only in this state, on the verge of unconsciousness, a quiet thought formed in some faraway reach of her addled mind.

_Do I truly want Shao Kahn to come back to life?_

Everything went black, and stayed so until daybreak.

But at some unstirred hour of the night, a presence visited Skarlet as she slept. Sareena stood there for a moment in silent contemplation. Before retiring to her chambers, she laid her shroud on Skarlet's shoulders, cold and shivering in the unlikely chill of a Netherrealm night.

"I hope I'm wrong about you, Skarlet."


	7. Chapter 7

In the space of one hour, Skarlet dispelled all misgivings on her importance to the mission. Deprived of her usual feed as she was, she still caught a trace soon after leaving the city. It was a faint smell, but mighty all the same. But more than its intensity, what truly caught her nose was its strange distinctiveness. It was a unique kind of blood, only vaguely similar to Cetrion and Raiden's, and far more pungent than that of Edenians. Despite her already troubled conscience, the scent still awoke her too-long contained appetite.

"The little God is far up north." She said. "I need height to get a better trace."

"Those hills there may do the thing." Jacqui pointed to the distance, where a tall slope partially concealed the walls of a city. "Do you think we could make it there before nightfall, Sub-Zero?"

Kuai Liang scanned the distance with his trusted scope. His ensuing calculation would have yielded a less-than-encouraging answer if not for the steeds Sareena procured for them. These beasts were far leaner than the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu war horses, but they kept a faster gallop, and possessed deceptively high stamina. Likewise, Sareena's loaned blackbirds flew faster than any Earthrealm species, making them ideal for communication with the Netherrealm's protector.

"We will, as long as we make haste. Let's go."

Sub-Zero's horse broke into gallop at the front, with Skarlet and Jacqui on each side, and the Shirai Ryu watching their blind spots as they travelled. The Lin Kuei grandmaster was not in a leisurely mood, but he still internally acknowledged how much he missed riding. From infancy to adolescence, it was his favourite thing to do, and one of the few times he felt like something other than a Lin Kuei. Those days were behind him, however. Now duty was all he had time and mind for.

[ ]

Sub-Zero's assessment proved accurate. The seven reached the hill before nightfall; they still had a few hours before sunset, in fact. This proved auspicious, as Skarlet needed the time to use her abilities at their fullest. From this position, she could do far more than obtain superior accuracy – she could provide the exact location of the Godling, but not without certain expense to herself. Skarlet said nothing on the matter. She knew a more sensible course of action would be to travel further north to obtain the same result with less strain on herself.

However, she desperately wished to be done with this undertaking – to meet its end, whether it be success or failure. Even now, she was fully aware of the extent of her purpose, and the only way it could end for her. The resurrection of her Lord may be at hand, in which case her companions would surely kill her. But if she found herself forced to use the child's blood to revive Shao Kahn herself, she knew she would end her own life once the deed was done.

Regardless, Skarlet did not expect to come out of this alive. She was at peace with that.

She sat cross-legged on the dry grass atop the hill, removed her hood, and closed her eyes. She pushed doubt and guilt out of her mind, until the inside of her thoughts was a completely black expanse. Her search began.

In the meantime, Sub-Zero and the rest stood vigilant, observing the Netherrealm plains and the cities isolated in the landscape around them. The blackbirds released two hours ago returned with a status report from Sareena: her eyes in the sky reported no significant movements by the Brotherhood of the Shadow.

The group waited in silence for the red tracker to find what they searched for.

[ ]

All was dark inside of Skarlet's head. She searched meticulous and obsessively, travelling from pulse to pulse until she came upon the precise shade of red, the one that would dye her mind crimson. Once she got a firm grip on it, she could even taste the iron in her thoughts – that was how it always worked. But somehow, even though she retained hold on the unique, divine scent, it kept eluding her. It was not as if it moved far from her reach. Rather, she could not fully approach it herself.

This has never happened to her before. It was never long before she could see, smell and even taste her target's pulse in her head. But all still remained black in her head.

She needed to focus deeper.

The strain began to manifest through increasing tension in her muscles and face. Her efforts still did not yield the desired outcome. She pushed herself further, but it made no difference. And so, the search turned into an inescapable cycle – for success was out of reach, she conceived no alternative but to try harder. The world outside of her mind was closed-off, and she did not wish to return to it empty-handed, even if it tore her mind asunder.

She was already acquainted with certain regions of madness. The consequences and risks meant nothing to her. Or so she wished to think.

Twenty minutes passed since she began her search, a period that felt agonisingly long in comparison to her usual performance. It would be close to an hour when she stirred ever so slightly. But this small tremble in her left shoulder was truly a world of pain within. Unbeknownst to Sub-Zero and the rest, she was desperately clinging to the tiny grip she had on the little God's blood. She dug across the distance, through ground and wall to get a clearer location, even if just marginally.

And then, it happened. An inkling of progress. A relatively clearer sense of direction and perspective that grew stronger as she differentiated this pulse from everything else. Raiden, Cetrion, Shinnok, Fujin – the Gods she knew all possessed a different nuance about their blood, but all shared certain traits. This was much like that.

Slowly, with each second, Skarlet felt the child's pulse delicately flowing in the grip of her mind. But throughout this ordeal, she found herself violently humbled. Success was still not quite in her grasp – not as long as there was any uncertainty. For even as she continued to get closer, she wondered if gaining in on the little God was indeed her own feat.

No sooner she thought this, she obtained her response by two bright lights that shone upon the space of her concentration, shattering all, blinding her from inside her head. Though it was too sudden a shock, Skarlet knew exactly what it was. A shudder of an impression.

The little God was gazing back.

When she opened her eyes, she found her surroundings too unsuitably ordinary for such a strange experience inside of her. There was still light in the horizon, and the blackbirds flew high above them on their return from the city. On her shoulder, the weight of a hand, firmly placed on the fabric of her robes. She followed it until she met Sub-Zero's eyes. Skarlet tried to see herself reflected on his gaze, to thus understand the reasoning behind his expression. He looked almost concerned.

"What?" She mouthed, unaware that no sound came out of her mouth.

"Rest."

"I saw…" Skarlet began, but sharp pain ran through her body as she regained sensitivity.

"You better listen to him. That looked rough." Jacqui added, her face closely mirroring Kuai Liang's expression.

Skarlet's experience using blood magic to track distant targets always carried a physical side to the bond between mind and ritual. On the few times she has had to struggle, she would end up with temporary numbness in hands and feet. It stood to reason that she would feel the aftermath of such an uncommon search. But she never imagined it would be like this. Her companions' strange attitude around her, and the warm, sticky feeling around her nose and mouth were a disturbing implication.

Just what did she do to herself by searching this little God?

The pain subsided in about ten quiet minutes. Only dregs of stiff discomfort remained in her limbs, but something inside of her was changed. Skarlet felt her psyche like a wound that refused to shut.

Sub-Zero crouched in front of her. His eyes and voice were dry, with no apparent hint of his previous concern.

"Did you find anything?"

Skarlet nodded, hoping her vocal cords were sufficiently healed. She took the small telescope from his hand, and looked into the distance. There was not the slightest need to summon her powers for this. Because through the pain, and the resistance met, her search was successful. And true to her personal oath, she triumphed though it cost her.

"There…" Her voice was a whisper in Sub-Zero's eyes. "Behind those mountains there, is a valley… The child dwells in hidden ruins."

"You did it…" Kuai Liang said, with a peculiar, undefinable tone. He felt both disbelief and acknowledgement about her. Shortly after beginning her search, it seemed as if the undertaking massively dwarfed her capabilities. He witnessed her convulse, contort, and bleed from every orifice in sight. Her screams clung to his ears still. But in the end, her will proved stronger than the pain. He did not expect such a quality in one like her. "… assuming you're speaking the truth."

Despite everything, the assassin in red still found the strength to smirk.

"If I'm not, you'll take my head. Regardless, this is the only destination you have. And it's as precise one as you'll ever have, if I do say so myself."

"Be quiet. We'll make for the city and resume the way after dawn."

Sub-Zero tried to dismiss her, but to his own surprise, he was truly impressed by her. He had to admit, that was about all she had been doing since this mission began.

[ ]

Of the last batch of information obtained from Sareena on the last hour, one thing stood out: the status of the closest city. There was no apparent presence of the Brotherhood within those walls, but passage into the city was restricted in preparation for any attempts at infiltration. At the same time, defences were enhanced should they repel an open invasion. Shelter was provided only for families.

Nightfall was upon them. They needed to enter the city in order to avoid engaging the foes that prowled the night. But though they might obtain passage as Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu allies, they could also risk drawing the Brotherhood's attention. The most sensible course of action was to enter the city covertly, while avoiding the oversights that allowed their detection the night before.

From this moment on, the seven took on a humble, unassuming attiring to masquerade as refugees. They carried no weapon or artefact that could draw attention – nothing but a handful of smooth, small stones, provided by Sareena for communication purposes. She called them 'whisperers', magical devices designed to convey one person's thoughts to another within a limited range, so long as they carried one such stone.

The pretence was hardly necessary for Sparrow and Daybreak, as they were indeed married; Kaneda was the youngest amongst them, so he was seen fit to act as their child. Jacqui presented Aioi as her wife for the occasion, and she was eager to play the part. This left Sub-Zero and Skarlet as the third couple in need of refuge. Despite the gravity of the mission, their companions afforded an amused expression as the latter played the role.

Skarlet, weakened as she was, looked pleased to hold on to Sub-Zero's arm as they crossed the gate. Kuai Liang was expected to look somewhat awkward and frigid towards this unexpected spouse, but at the same time his compliance came off quite naturally. Some suspected, and few knew, but Sub-Zero loved once. Through the cold and the weight of duty, some reflexes died hard. Even as Skarlet took liberties to lean into him, he did nothing to compromise the illusion of spousal.

The three 'families' spent each the night in a different place of the city, bound to reconvene the following morning.

[ ]

Supper was unexpectedly quiet between Sub-Zero and Skarlet. Many things factored into it, within and without the present moment. The gravity of their mission weighed heavily upon them, and so did the menace of the Brotherhood of Shadow. But each waded through a spell of doubt and confusion, which would have been unthinkable on times past. Certain lines started to blur, convictions and beliefs. Neither he nor she could bring themselves to speak openly, yet both of them craved for some certainty.

Sub-Zero, in particular, felt terribly out of depth. He felt as if his mind was pulled at once in many different directions. The mission, the Brotherhood of Shadow, Bi-Han. His thoughts were visited by Sareena's words. And strangely, they led to his unlikely associate. All things considered, Skarlet's efforts to get close to him were significantly less overt than before, when they fought as opposing forces. Yet now he noticed more about her, things he could not easily dismiss.

Just as she remarked once, her hair did grow quite fast. Beneath the common garb of a hard-walked traveller, the long, unruly red looked strangely catching. Superficial as the musing was, it became easier for him to see something other than the assassin and adversary. Plain and simple, he saw her as a person. And in doing so, a question followed, which he did not dare ask.

How did this person ever come to be under Shao Kahn's command?

Things did not get easier as the night went by.

The shelter was quite full. In fact, the only comfort available to them was having a wall to sit against, and a somewhat soft surface beneath them. That was nothing particularly new or unpleasant to either of them. Closeness was something else they had grown used to at this point, out of necessity. But this occasion was different. It might have been deliberate, or it could well have been the exhaustion that taxed on the assassin, but Skarlet laid her head on his shoulder, and Sub-Zero did not think to push her away, even if there were no eyes on them.

This was a moment of truth in between them, past the mistrust and the unknowing. Kuai Liang felt the weight of the whisperer in his pocket, but he wagered that stirring Skarlet through words alone would only yield the same results as usual. With their objective so relatively close, he had to know her intentions. But the consequences were of no importance to him – the causes were. What truly compelled her to lend her aid?

Was she serving a hidden purpose, or was she obeying a better instinct?

Throughout his lifetimes, Sub-Zero proved a formidable warrior, and – many would say – outstanding leader. But despite it all, he possessed one fatal flaw: he was a terrible judge of character. He offered leniency to some who did not deserve it, while denying all mercy to others…

Like Skarlet.

Had he been right in doing so?

She slowly and obliviously raised her head from his shoulder. Most likely one of her final minutes before deep slumber. Probably the last moment she would be alone with him for the remainder of the mission, and whatever happened after that.

And so, Sub-Zero, the cold Grandmaster, did something most would have thought impossible. If only for that moment, he ceased to think.

Skarlet, for all her confidence and drive, never expected to be stirred from coming sleep like this. Her attraction, and even respect for Kuai Liang were true, but this exceeded her more grounded thoughts. It was a thing that only happened in her wildest imaginings; and in them, it was her who kissed him. He never would take the initiative, until the impossible moment in which he did.

Conditions were not ideal. This kiss would not lead to them slow unwrapping each other like a gift, or to her straddling him against her favourite silks. There were no perfumes in the air, and no candles for him to gently pour on her naked skin. And yet this trumped it all. Still too tired to reciprocate in the same proportion as she lusted, Skarlet let herself melt like wax against him. She gave no resistance to his hand on her nape, fingers tangled in careless red locks, pulling her closer even.

His lips were surprisingly wanting, not unlike hers.

The kiss was not drawn on too long, but the brief burst of heat was better than this set of circumstances would have allowed. When they parted, her breathing was slightly louder than discreet quiet. It was a feeling she missed.

She then surreptitiously fished out the whisperer from her robes, palming it as she placed her hand on his. Though she enjoyed the moment, her thoughts were now unclouded, and she had questions to ask. To anyone who looked in their direction, this silent conversation looked like two refugees in love, grateful to live one night longer.

"What are you doing?" Her mind uttered at him, as she tried reading his pulse to tell if he was being true. This was the second time she felt the run of his blood since they joined paths.

"Go to sleep, Skarlet." He dismissed. In her head, she could hear the deepness of his voice, unaffected by what just happened. This irritated her to no end.

"Why did you kiss me?" The crimson assassin desired this moment, but she could not fully accept it as what she wanted it to be. This man did not trust her, and he denied her at every turn. This sudden linking was most unexpected, and it was without an actual reason. She could expect it from some past lover, from a different kind of man. Not from him. Sadly, never from him.

She received no response. She could not know, but Kuai Liang himself was unsure of why.

"I believe you are trying to throw me off balance, Grandmaster." She teased. "Did you, after all this time, decide that you want me?"

"You grew on me." Such was the closest approximation to the formless chaos that Skarlet originated in his thoughts. "I think I want to know how to regard you, if I can truly see you as an ally."

"I don't believe you. I think you mean something else." She teased. "I think this little falsehood we're doing has put ideas in your head. That you want to take me as your wife in truth. I wouldn't be opposed to it, Sub-Zero. And make all your beloved clan love me too. I could never give you an heir, though. My fertility was the price to pay as a child. But I can live with that. A woman like me should never be a mother, don't you think?" Though she meant this as a mockery, there was a measure of truth in it.

Sub-Zero turned to look at her.

"Did learning blood magic make you infertile?"

"Perhaps. Do you care, Grandmaster?"

Skarlet looked at him straight in the eye, and smiled sourly. She placed a kiss on his cheek, and went back to dwelling on restless thoughts until her mind finally allowed her to fall asleep.

As for Kuai Liang, it would take him a few minutes to keep his eyes closed. He felt foolish and naïve, like he indulged in some adolescent impulse that could only arise when far away from his usual surroundings and methods. In a way, he also felt ashamed, like he did some cruel jest on Skarlet. But the last thought before falling asleep was the awareness that he shared in Skarlet's breath for that moment. It was a taste that persisted.


	8. Chapter 8

For once, Skarlet woke up the following morning with no recollection of having dreamed. Her thoughts were unscathed from the flogging of supressed guilt. But still she wondered on how many accursed lifetimes she was so compelled this way. Did past selves ever experience such turmoil? To her recollection, she never had but a few stumbles across timelines, even after her Emperor's many deaths. Perhaps, in those instances, she reaped the unlikely boon of dying close to her Master; never too far before or after. But this time, she long outlived him.

This felt unnatural for the Bloody Daughter. The unexpected fact of Sub-Zero getting so close to her felt considerably less so, but not any less confusing. The two barely said a word to each other after waking up, but she expected that. After humbly breaking fast, Skarlet decided she did not need to hear his voice. What she truly needed was sustenance. She needed to unfurl, and feed. Blood would clear her mind.

An hour later, the seven rendezvoused in the city's centre, prepared to continue on their way north. But as soon as the tall gates began to rumble open, a visage of black doom peeked inside. And it promptly spilled into the city, as the Brotherhood of the Shadow rode in. This was only a small vanguard, with larger numbers a mile behind. The plague of hooded, faceless ones decimated the unlucky souls closer to the city's entrance. The initial carnage was so sudden that nobody noticed the fleet footed soldiers rounding up the children.

The commotion did not take long to reach Sub-Zero and the rest. The Brotherhood was yet to reach their position, so they still had enough of an opportunity to sneak by undetected. But this was a bitter measure, even if it intended their mission's success. Life flourished in the Netherrealm since Quan Chi's death. Despite nature's dark law in the realm, there was prosperity and peace in Hell. And Sub-Zero was well aware that he virtually stood by while evil scourged that hard-earned prize. Innocent blood was being shed, but the greater good demanded that he kept his gaze ahead. This was not the first time a cold heart suited his way, but it never got easier.

Beneath the traveller's tunic, his hand closed furious around the whisperer. He summoned Sareena's blackbirds to meet them outside the city's perimeter. The very least he could do was send word to his friend of the tragedy unfolding, one he did not stop.

The quiet escape was not easier for Jacqueline Briggs and her Shirai Ryu comrades, who were unaccustomed to the cold ways of the Lin Kuei Grandmaster. They kept up without protest, but one cloak in their midst hesitated to follow Sub-Zero's lead. With red locks peeking out of the disguise, Skarlet's eyes hung on the massacre they were leaving behind. Her companions thought she was basely enticed by the blood spilled on the cobble. But they were only half-correct.

Though she found the smell too irresistible to completely discard from her head, her attention lay elsewhere. The assassin saw how the children were arranged into rows while everything else was slain around them. Few parents got to weep and plead for a futile moment before a crude beheading. All the while the children watched, without even knowing why this calamity was happening. Fear for their lives, sorrow without measure; these things compound into a clear realisation. Life as they knew it was over.

The fate of these children was uncertain. But beyond all doubt, they were changed forever. Their lives were now branded. No matter what awaited in the following hours, days, or even years should they live that long. All of them were now orphans.

Much like Skarlet herself.

The longer she looked, the more she felt the collective blood flow beneath the garbs of the Brotherhood. Much of this lacked the spice of life that made her mouth water. But it was not the taste what she savoured, and not her thirst what she heeded. Not entirely.

Kuai Liang's hushed urging did not reach her ears. All she truly heard in that moment was Shao Kahn's voice. He had a name for a select few of his Earthrealm adversaries – those strongly bound by an honour code, which he deemed a hindrance for the achievement of supremacy. The Emperor relished on the irony of borrowing the term from Earthrealm's own idioms. Yet he found it so fitting.

_Bleeding hearts_, he called them then.

Bleeding heart, his voice called her now.

Skarlet passed the bitter taste of her late Emperor's imaginary admonishment. Then she braced herself for the consequences of a decision she was unsure of regretting. She could not move much blood in her present condition, not as quick and brutally as she was infamous for. But by the time, the fray broke out, it would be too late to stop the bloody onslaught.

Even if she had not delayed at all, the day was long sealed. Brotherhood rangers had already caught sight of seven curious figures trying to escape from under their nose. The cloaked ones would punish this futile attempt with their distinctive brand of cruelty. Looking down from the rooftops into the alleyway, they took one single breath before leaping down.

Jacqui was the first to see them, at which point there was no other option left.

She met the first attacker from above with a vicious fist that unhinged the ranger's jaw. In one blink of the eye, Sub-Zero and the Shirai Ryu discarded their robes and stood ready for the counterattack. The assassins were dead before they hit the ground.

More foes closed in on the location, but hell truly broke loose when the agents gathering the children had their final, messy heartbeat. One of them heard the faint snicker of a woman before passing; the most chilling thing to experience on death's door. The screaming children were coated with their captors' warm remains, but safe from their harrowing fate. And Skarlet had her favourite means in her grasp. It was, as she heard Earthrealmers say, "a win-win".

The Bloody Daughter unleashed her fury with darts, pikes and blades fashioned out of the Brotherhood's blood. Meanwhile, Jacqui crushed limbs with unforgiving strikes, and the Shirai Ryu slashed through their enemies with frightening ease. And Sub-Zero's cold might dwarfed his already colossal reputation.

However, Kuai Liang observed a disturbing change in the Brotherhood of Shadow. They have been his enemies in all past lives, and always a force to be reckoned with. But this time, they exhibited far greater ferocity than ever before. Not even under the fallen Shinnok were they this formidable. Many were cut down, but the other half did not let up, and even their mortally wounded refused to die.

"Fuck. Sub-Zero, they're gonna overwhelm us if they keep this up!" Jacqui grunted through the fighting.

"We must take the fight to open ground." Sub-Zero responded, shattering another head with his fist. "Where is Skarlet!?"

"I last saw her in the square. She must be repelling them there!" Aioi said.

"I think we could use that creep's mojo right about now!" Jacqui shouted.

In the midst of combat, Sparrow looked to the end of the alley, where the Brotherhood had them flanked in a bottleneck. It was a bulwark, yet they could penetrate it in one single push, if they could somehow create a weak point in the barrier. It dawned on him shortly after: all they truly needed was for their foes to turn their heads, and the raw power of Jacqui and Sub-Zero would do the rest.

"Master Sub-Zero! Sergeant Jacqui! Charge when they turn around!" Sparrow said as he closely dodged a blade. Sparrow was his code name, but his peers knew him as the Untouchable after his exceptional agility. He did justice to his legend as he leapt and bounded directly into the enemy. Nothing touched him as he stepped on heads and shoulders to stage a getaway.

His wife, Daybreak, barely needed to hear his plan to start putting down the stragglers, aided by Aioi and Kaneda. A few seconds later, the chaos sowed by Sparrow yielded results. Sub-Zero and Jacqui saw their opening as the dozens of assassins in black tried to prevent Sparrow's apparent escape. Liang and Jacqui's mixed strength became a frozen ram that charged right through their adversaries and out into the square, joining Skarlet in the fight. The tilt in tactical advantage was felt almost immediately, but it came at a cost.

Behind them, in the threshold of the alley, one figure shambled forward, driven by his final, heaving bursts of life. There was a confused look in his eyes, as if unable to understand what happened in the last three seconds. And yet, he felt fortunate at being able to catch Daybreak's eyes one more time. Her fleeting glance turned to bewilderment, and then to utter horror as she saw the metallic flash in Sparrow's chest. She saw her husband skewered through the chest, taken by the one blade in his life that ever touched him.

Sparrow tried to say her name, but no sounds came out. The world was quiet for him, then gone. He did not get to hear Daybreak's grieving battle cry a moment after he fell, never to get back up again. The squad suffered its first casualty in the mission. Sub-Zero vowed silently that he would answer to Scorpion for Sparrow's death himself. But that would come later. For now, they were still six against almost three scores.

Jacqueline Briggs and her remaining comrades stood their ground efficiently, but Sub-Zero and Skarlet delivered the brunt of the offensive. The two were soon fighting back to back, repelling the coming threats on all directions. Strike by strike, and cut by cut, the two boasted the fearsome potential of such an unlikely alliance. The blood shed by Sub-Zero became raw materials for Skarlet to create nightmarish instruments of death and grotesque limbs to control the flow of battle. He, in turn perpetuated the deadly cycle by freezing the blood spray into flying shards.

The fray did not last long after the change of the tide. Most of the Brotherhood assailants died by ice and blood magic. The sons of darkness were sent to their graves with the echo of Skarlet's laughter in their ears. Her murderous euphoria was known in the entire city, by victim and survivor alike. Only a handful in their midst survived. Sub-Zero stopped Skarlet from taking their lives, but not out of mercy. The cloaked rangers were confused at first, but they soon realised what awaited them when looking in the cold abyss of Sub-Zero's eyes.

Interrogation followed, administered by the Lin Kuei Grandmaster himself. His companions were present through it all, listening to every single word the rangers managed in between screams and rattles. In that moment they learned that despite the Lin Kuei's devotion to the welfare of the realms, the clan never entirely renounced the shadow of their less charitable past. Cruelty was still in their ways. Even Skarlet herself shuddered at some of Kuai Liang's means. And even once they obtained every bit of information, Sub-Zero would not let the men die.

He suspected there was still use for them.

The six retired to a small room in one of the now vacated buildings to discuss what they learned.

The Brotherhood of the Shadow operated under a new leader, who reassembled the collective under a different regime. His objective was to conquer the Netherrealm, and soon all realms beyond. But knowing he needed powerful means, he waited while slowly amassing a legion in black. Some of the people he recruited were seers, who proved invaluable for acquiring information. One day, the seers noticed a sudden, strange phenomenon. It was like flame igniting where once had only been darkness. Their understanding was woefully incomplete, but they knew it was a source of incredible power, contained in the body of a child. Thus, the leader of the Brotherhood set out to take over each and every territory in the realm in search of that child.

Disturbing as the news were, Sub-Zero was relieved to an extent. The Brotherhood seemed to possess only a vague notion of what the child actually represented. And without the aid of the exiled Shinnok, their resources were still limited. But though Kuai Liang and his allies had an advantage, they still could not afford to underestimate the Brotherhood of the Shadow. Even by sheer chance, they could still come upon the Godling.

After some discussion, the six agreed that their best bet was to misdirect the Brotherhood – send them headlong in the opposite direction while the squad trekked further north, where Skarlet had found the little God. Ideas flew across the table, most of them with little future beyond contemplation. One eventually stood out. But although this was the more likely one to succeed, Jacqui and her Shirai Ryu comrades found it troubling.

The idea was to lure the Brotherhood into another city further to the South, under the pretence of the Godling being there. It was unlikely that the greater bulk would make the long, difficult trek, but the Brotherhood's attention would be sufficiently diverted. It took five or six days to round up all the children in a city, seek the objective among them, recruit those who had potential and cull the rest. That was a generous lot of time to retrieve the child and make most of the trip back.

However, the main problem was of a moral kind. To execute this plan meant putting another population through the same carnage occurred on that day. Everyone knew this catastrophe would be hundredfold if the enemy got their hands on the child. But even so, nobody was at peace with this idea – not even Skarlet, who had stayed quiet throughout the entire brainstorm.

"There must be another way…" Jacqui said.

"I can think of nothing else with what little time we have." Distress darkened Aioi's youthful factions.

"The Brotherhood's agents are spread in all direction. Sooner or later, they'll come upon the child. I do not like this anymore than you, Sergeant Briggs." Sub-Zero said, ashamed.

"Fuck… It never gets any easier, does it?" Jacqui exhaled out in frustration. "To keep some asshole from raising hell, we have to let others hurt."

"… Unless there was nobody to hurt." Skarlet said.

Everybody turned to her with quizzical eyes.

"Do you have something in mind?" Sub-Zero inquired.

"If we do this, the best place we can use is the city we visited on our first night. It's far to the south, and the terrain makes it slow to reach in large numbers. But the portal back to Earthrealm is close enough, and if it has caught enough dust by now, the denizens of the city could use it."

"Are you suggesting evacuating the city?" Kaneda asked.

The crimson assassin nodded with smirk on her face.

"You, of all people suggesting something like this… never would have imagined it. Still, we could probably sleep at night if we did that." Jacqui remarked. "This does sacrifice the… strategical advantage of the city being full, though."

"It narrows our window to return under covert." Kuai Liang considered. "Or so it would seem. The terrain makes a slow voyage, especially for large numbers. It might not be such a wide margin."

"I doubt they would send many to retrieve the child." Daybreak said.

"They would not, unless they expected heavy resistance. We do have some of their agents. We could make them inform HQ that the city is heavily defended." Jacqui's mood started to rise.

"Or something better…" Skarlet turned to Sub-Zero. "A random citizen mistook you for your brother, Kuai Liang. Word of your presence may have already reached the Brotherhood. They will surely invest much into the voyage if they hear it is you who defends their prize."

"Misinformation again proves the ninja's best asset." Aioi smiled. "If we time this right, we can maybe get the little God and return before they know what happened, especially if we ride without stopping."

"And we know much of the Brotherhood's methods now. It's still a gamble, but this can succeed." Daybreak nodded.

"I agree." Sub-Zero settled, with a somewhat satisfied look on his face. "I will send word to Sareena immediately. Good work, everyone."

The atmosphere afterwards was lighter, about as much as it could be in the presence of one who mourned. After sending the Blackbirds south, Sub-Zero and Daybreak took Sparrow's body to be given a proper send-off as per the Shirai Ryu's way. The last rites may not have taken place in native soil, but the ashes would return to the Fire Garden to rest forever with his comrades. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster joined Daybreak in prayer, and silently hoped he would lose not lose anyone else in this mission.

That hope inevitably guided his thoughts to Skarlet. He was well aware of the irony at work. From a cold, sober perspective, her prowess in battle was merely an extension of the thing she has always done: satiating her hunger. If Shao Kahn had willed it, she would have fought the Brotherhood all the same. And yet, their current plan, meant to achieve their goal while sparing innocent lives, came from her. He considered that she may be trying to gain his trust, only to betray him after. But still, his notion of Skarlet blurred more and more.

That woman was like a misty path he could not help but follow, and it led him to kissing her. In the hallowed silence of ritual, the moment was brought back to life. The warmth and softness of her, the taste and subdued sound of her breath. What else would haunt his thoughts if he chose not to stray from the path that was her?

By dusk, the city was completely quiet. The city's survivors retired indoors to mourn for their many dead, sent earlier to the Gods of eternal night and fathomless oceans through fire. Word had arrived from Sareena, confirming her compliance with the plan. This underworld exodus would take a day, which left enough time to rest and prepare. Sub-Zero opted to get an early night. Come nightfall, it occurred to him that a portion of the squad should remain in the city to protect the survivors. Evacuation was not a gambit they could safely partake of.

He laid down in a humble cot, with no candles to light his coming slumber. This day was not the most terrible he has survived, and yet he found himself unbearably tired. Kuai Liang did not wish to dwell on it, but he felt that at some point, they would need to do something about the Brotherhood of the Shadow, especially if Bi Han was in their midst. Perhaps this mission was only one half of Sub-Zero's affairs in the Netherrealm. This realm always seems to pull him into its dark innards. That is the way that it has always been.

A yawn. Sleep began to come over him like a mercy. It kept him from dreading the future and lamenting the past. But it could not dull his awareness of another presence in the room.

She said nothing as she laid down next to him.

He could not bring herself to fight her.

Skarlet felt warm to him, even though her skin was cold.

The sound of her breathing lulled him first. She would have fallen asleep first if not for a nagging itch on her back. A minuscule spike carved from black stone fell off the surface of her skin, ignored but not ineffectual. Skarlet vanquished many today, but she did not walk away wholly untouched.


	9. Chapter 9

The most important stretch in the mission was soon to begin. Sub-Zero and his team had been stationed in the city for two days now; more than enough time for Sareena to lead the temporary exodus of the Netherrealm folk, and for final preparations. Come midday, a messenger bird was sent out to the Brotherhood of the Shadow´s generals with false information. Only hours later, a legion in black would begin to slowly flood the weathered plains of Hell. Meanwhile, Sareena's blackbirds continued to monitor every movement.

Upon arrival, the Brotherhood would only find a deserted city, with no Godling to be found. And the rumours of Sub-Zero's presence in the Netherrealm would appear false. But the moment was not yet at hand. For now, the squad of six had only restless hours to spend.

Jacqueline Briggs hardly found it in herself to argue, despite her usual sense. There may be a link by marriage, but it was her competence and personal accolades what earned her the recognition of the Shirai Ryu. Still, she was not a stealth specialist, and neither was Daybreak at the moment, having just lost her spouse in the fray. Sub-Zero charged them both with the duty of staying in this city to observe and defend if necessary. And so, the squad retrieving the Little God was reduced from seven to four. They would all reconvene once the Godling was in their protection.

In the meantime, she distracted her discontent by observing how Skarlet seemed to be wherever Sub-Zero was. If not for her previous knowledge of who the Red Asssassin was, Jacqui might have thought it endearing. In this timeline, Kuai Liang mentored her and her friends at a much younger age. But even then, Jacqui could not call him 'jovial'. Sub-Zero was always old, and always alone, despite being accompanied by the plentiful Lin Kuei ranks. And now that seemed to change, in the strangest way possible. It was fascinating to see, but worrying all the same.

To Jacqueline Briggs, Sub-Zero was the impossibly stern, Chinese uncle she never had. He was a mentor, and a friend. And she did not wish to see him hurt, or betrayed ever again. Each moment Skarlet was in the same picture as he, the possibility seemed ever closer to happen. And yet, she too looked so unsuitably different. Beneath the layers of the mission, her past and reputation, Skarlet appeared to be changing, possibly despite herself. She was calmer and less inclined to antagonise. When it came to Sub-Zero, she looked plainly infatuated.

She looked a little paler too. Vaguely clumsy at times, with a slight tone of discomfort about her expression. 'Morning sickness' immediately came to mind, but Jacqui shooed the thought away with a shudder. By now, trust may well be a non-issue. Concern would lead nowhere. She just hoped Sub-Zero would be ready should Skarlet's attempts to turn over a new leaf prove false in the end.

Years ago, the Lin Kuei Grandmaster had a role in educating a distinct group of children. Jacqueline Briggs, Cassie Cage, Kung Jin, Takeda Takahashi, and Liu Ying Yue. Of all the things Sub-Zero taught them, sign language was Jacqui's favourite. Some gestures she used for years to come, in and out of duty. There was one in particular she used with Cassie, always leisurely. But today, whenever Sub-Zero turned to Jacqui, she made that same gesture with grave seriousness.

_Don't get backstabbed. _

[ ]

Blood magic was complex. To achieve proficiency, Skarlet had to become erudite on anatomy and arcane arts. And though her mind was ravenous to learn, there was still much unknown to her. There were certain pains and discomforts that ailed her since becoming a blood mage. It was apparently a common issue for the more initiated, and there was no known cure. Regardless, these pains were nothing more than a nuisance in the greater scheme of things, and she could easily dull her sensibility to them. In time, she saw them as a minor price to pay for her power, and eventually she grew accustomed to these little pains.

But this was new, and far different. It started as a persisting numbness on her side, and became slightly painful whenever she tried to feel and control her own pulse. She safely assumed it would be the same result if she tried anything more, if not probably worse. Against her own flinch of hesitation, she probed deeper into her veins. And true enough, this hurt more than she could easily ignore.

Skarlet hid in the nearest corner, away from anyone's eyes, while she examined herself. There was no use counting the minutes it took her, as the effort blurred everything aside from her own flow, which now felt so terribly cold and sharp. It felt like it lasted far too long, regardless. At some point, she found what she was searching for: a foreign presence within her blood. It was black and grimy, and troublesome small. It stank.

Skarlet had been poisoned somehow, with a substance she did not recognise. She surmised Netherrealm origins, which meant she probably was poisoned by some enemy during the battle two days ago. The agent must have been deadly in design, but she was impervious to most substances of the sort. Though this was unlikely to kill her, she would still struggle until one of two things happened. Either her own modified organism would learn to metabolise it, or she could force it by injecting some of her own purified extract into her veins.

The latter was highly unadvised, and she had no experience with such means. This left her with the safer, more uncertain option. As she went back into the open, she hoped metabolising took no more than a few hours. She still had ache to deal with, and it was now harder to tolerate with a plain face. Her mind instantly wandered to the methods she knew to kill the pain. One in particular was the release of endorphins and oxytocin.

Her eyes instantly fell on Kuai Liang, who exercised in the middle of the square to pass the time. She could not tell if he noticed her presence at all. He showed no sign of it, in any case.

Much had changed since the weeks spent aboard Kharon's ship. In some way, they were closer than before. And considering he had been the one to kiss her, he likely would not object to her joining him for another sparring session. It would surely do. But that was not what she had in mind.

Skarlet was not about to risk another rejection at this time. With a hungry smirk on her lips, she retreated back into the shadows. This time, she sought a smaller, more private place to spend the while.

Somewhere she would not be disturbed.

[ ]

Locked away, within her mind and without. The basement was rather cold, and not entirely in the dark as she would have liked, but it was far enough from unwanted eyes and ears. Dregs of the day's sunlight cut diagonally down through the floorboards above into this quiet place. There were shabby furs and old-woven rugs; hardly the most comfortable bedding. It mattered none once she placed herself in the mood, inside a place without thoughts. There was none of her tremulous past or her doombound future, not even the uncertain present.

There was only she.

Skarlet undid her bearings just enough to keep some warmth on her. She rubbed the outer side of her thumb on her inner cloak, catching what little remained of the incense she burned back in the island. That and the familiarity of her own scent eased her a little as she laid back, full on the makeshift bed. She sniffed in slowly, and closed her eyes. As her chest rose and sank into a gentle rhythm, her hand travelled down, past her exposed navel. She began to feel delicately feel further down with her fingertips, playfully grazing the hair that shaded the skin between her thighs.

Her nether lips began to part at the teasing first contact of her fingers. The fabric of her undergarments pressed insistently against her knuckles, slightly restraining her. This was something of an acquired taste for her, ever in loving conflict with the desire to break loose in so many senses of the word. As she gave herself fully to the enticing, hurried secrecy of the moment, the feeling within her veins intensified for a moment. Skarlet rubbed herself in circular motions, gradually outrunning the pain until her gates her fully open and wanting.

The ghost of a scent on her thumb felt more vivid to her senses with every passing second. Soon, like a reflex towards an uninvited through, the faces of past lovers flashed in her head, all of them beautiful and strong in their own way; some appealed more to her carnal desires, while others aimed and always missed her deeper wants. She did not fight the looming crave to feel their lips all over her, as a start. But although one face in their midst did not quite belong, it still sent a slow jolt through her body, running her whole.

Skarlet nibbled at her fingers like they were his lips. Sub-Zero kissed her - as cold a fact as the man himself. From that, it was easy to imagine him getting acquainted with her eyelids and the space between her collarbones. Her chest, her stomach, her fingertips – and many more in her collection of small, warm places. A shudder of pleasure prefaced the gasp that escaped her mouth. The pain from the poison was becoming an unpleasant memory, at least for a moment.

Then, entirely by accident she opened her eyes. And she initially believed it to be mirage, conjured by lust and yearn. Skarlet did not know what to think, but she soon found it to be very real.

Kuai Liang was standing there. A sentinel shrouded in dark, set alight by the blades of sunlight pouring in from the floorboards as he took a step closer. His body language unveiled nothing, as usual. But all Skarlet cared about were his eyes, dark and earthly. Wishing there was no cold in his gaze - not for her - she smiled and closed her eyes once more.

She carried on.

All past faces were no longer. There only was Skarlet, the sensations that comforted her, and the mental construct embodying the recipient of her wants – a Sub-Zero that did not exist. All sounds were exiled from this shelter in her mind, but still she felt his presence coming closer. And though she refused to open her eyes, she reached out. Her palm met his cheek, from which his features felt ever more real. His facial hair was close-cut, conservatively so, but it was softer to the touch than she would have guessed.

Her fingers, still carrying the faint smell of perfume travelled across his face, touching and caressing. He came nearer now. Skarlet tried to keep the words away, to shun the acknowledgement for fear it may turn out false. But she could no longer deny it when she felt his breath on her skin. And so, he kissed her once again, this time seizing the moment.

_Touch me._

Blindly, Skarlet groped at his clothes, pulling down as she explored once forbidden places. And soon enough, her hand wandered further down until she found the hardening between his legs. She could have laughed in face of the absurd, had she the mind to observe - for the fantasy she kept as both adversary and ally was becoming true.

She then heard him disrobing, laying himself bare to her touch.

_Fuck me._

"Kuai Liang." She purred while grabbing and rubbing him.

He touched her in more intimate and adoring ways than she would have though. In the way his fingers met her crotch, a size of his repute shattered into pieces. Through the way his lips found her more receptive spots, the myth was deconstructed. A man with a chunk of ice for a heart could never do this, she thought.

A wayward, sacrilegious through crossed her mind as he entered her fully open gates.

I should have you known earlier. Much, much earlier. Before all this war. Before you turned cold. Before I…

He thrust with a tempo neither too slow, nor too fast. Practiced and steady, but failing to conceal the breaking of long-restrained libido; that was the one thing Skarlet accurately expected about Kuai Liang's more private side. Alas, he proved himself a vital, giving lover – even surprisingly nurturing. Soon, she began to feel release fill her whole before concentrating on her nether regions. He felt her contracting around him in repeated spasms. And with it came the urge to thrust quicker until he lost himself in the cacophony.

Skarlet herself was barely aware of the sounds coming from her until it was nearly over. With sudden urgency, she grabbed her cloak and buried her face in it, muffling herself and breathing in what little remained of the perfume's trace. She would never know if she was heard a few seconds later, when the world around her blurred violently into a state of bliss. There was no pain when she fully came back to herself. Kuai Liang exited a moment after, himself hanging precariously on the brink of letting loose. He held the release back, if only to reprise an old habit from his days as a younger, warmer man.

Time was not on their side. But regardless of their distinct feelings on the matter, both knew they could carry on if they so desired. If by some fickle margin, they shared the sentiment on the matter.

Skarlet was still catching her breath when she removed her cloak from her face. She saw him there on the edge of the makeshift bed, sitting with his back to her, beads of sweat all over its surface. It was a strange thing to see him linger. Him leaving was more feasible, and ruefully expected. Up until that moment, Skarlet did not acknowledge he could have easily killed her at any point since walking in on her. It added a little more chaos into her need for certainty to see him there, on the same level as she.

Her lips parted, but no words could come out. She wanted to say and to ask, yet the lines mixed.

_Love me._

The two remained in dense silence while never bothering to get dressed.

"Why did you come down here, Kuai Liang?" Skarlet finally broke the silence.

"Somebody told me." He replied dryly.

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter."

Skarlet sat up, still exposed. In daring manner, she approached and laid her chin on his shoulder, lips grazing his ear. Then, as if to cajole an answer beforehand, she softly kissed his ear. Only one word followed to invite many possible answers. At this point, any would do.

"Why?" She whispered with a little fire in her breath.

There was some hesitation to his response.

"You looked unwell." At this, he began to dress.

Skarlet quietly pondered over his words. Despite the drive behind her question, she found the answer unsatisfactory. By now, her pursuits of certainty were long become frail platitudes. It was now a clear possibility, which she was unwilling to truly admit before. That she may be falling victim to a set of vicious mind games. It was the only possibility she could think of.

"What are you trying to do to me, Kuai Liang?" She demanded, with a tone both quiet and sharp.

He turned to look at her, eye to eye, with a strange expression. Kuai Liang was seeking the right words. They had dwelt in his head for several days now, but still they became no clearer.

"I think you are transforming." He said. This was the best approximation he had.

"What?"

"Perhaps I am too."

That told her nothing at all, even though it was the best he could do. Like Skarlet, Sub-Zero was wrestling with a storm of his own. This epiphany began as an unlikely alliance, but it was forcing him to confront the nuances and the contradictions of his own ways. The loss of dear ones, the loss of himself – in lifetimes past and present – led to him stunting his worldview to black and white. Only duty mattered. To kill the pain that would muddle the fulfilment of his duty, he killed his ability to harbour faith. It seemed the only reasonable thing, when theirs was a world of killing.

His own feelings about Skarlet, during the heat of war with Shao Kahn, were not too different from hers. Knowing her laudable reputation before becoming the Emperor's Bloody Daughter did not help matters. And yet he ignored the nagging suspicion that she could have proven a steadfast ally if they had prevented Shao Kahn from turning her. Now, with the Emperor dead, the suspicion chastised him for silencing that suspicion.

Skarlet looked at him with bewildered eyes, racking her brain over what he could mean. Her mistrust remained, but her gut told her she was now in completely uncharted territory. She was without tools to respond to this situation. The feeling was new to her, and anything would be better than. So Skarlet made an entirely conscious, self-destructive decision in that moment.

"I joined this mission to revive Shao Kahn." She said plainly and without any mood but cold, factual acknowledgement.

She anticipated the change in Kuai Liang's expression, the fury and hate in his eyes. Skarlet would stay still as he assumed position. Whether her execution was slow or quick mattered little anymore.

But no such thing happened. His expression never changed, nor did he ready himself to cut her down. There was not even a threat coming out of his lips. The silence that separated them was mercifully brief.

"I thought that was the case." Kuai Liang sounded too secure. "I start to believe that you are better than that."

Those words shattered her no differently than he would have. The very notion was so far from her head at the moment, but she was thinking of Shao Kahn less and less. If anything, what actually preoccupied her were the coming decisions about the Little God. Acknowledging that, by thought or word, was frightening.

And now, Sub-Zero, this lusted, strange new ally, had dared to follow the line to a new, different, and terrifying denouement.

Skarlet could think no more. The quiet chaos in her head manifested into action as she lunged at him, hastily bringing him down. He was now under her, bound to be ridden. She would neither let him contain his release, nor take control of the moment. Though there was no more modesty, her own cries of deranged ecstasy were not sufficient to drown out his words, still in her head. And at the end, when she lay on top of him, they still lulled her to sleep.

_I start to believe that you are better than that._


	10. Chapter 10

Sub-Zero, Skarlet, Aioi, and Kaneda rode north for the Little God's location. The walled city behind them had borne witness to its bloodiest days, with the Brotherhood of the Shadow's invasion and the merciless repelling that followed. What survivors remained – mostly children - were now under the protection of Jacqueline Briggs and Daybreak, who mourned Sparrow's death in quiet vigilance. Even in peace, fear was nigh palpable in the air after the blood had dried. And somehow, that same atmosphere permeated the fields, hills and dunes in the landscape.

Even though the Brotherhood was successfully baited into mobilisation, none of the four riders felt safe. Sareena and her Blackbirds were an invaluable boon, but it still helped little. For although the Netherrealm had achieved relative peace, it continued to host a number of local perils – all quite unique and treacherous. Brigands, unbound wraiths, demons, the cruellest and most ravenous of undead, and horrible beings that could not be classified. There was also one more possible threat, yet accounted for: rogue Brotherhood units, stationed squadrons, and stragglers, any of which could unmake the ruse.

This left the four riders no choice but to travel swift and hidden as they made for the ruins. If they were able to proceed unimpeded, they would reach their destination within less than a day. Finding the Godling should take no longer than a few hours, and the return should be just as quick. As per the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu's practical methods, they would evade all potential engagements, and quickly finish those they could not avoid. Compared to past experiences, this mission was simple. But beyond the possible obstacles ahead, one nagging thought started plaguing Sub-Zero's tranquillity.

Even after they retrieved the Little God, a terrible menace remained: The Brotherhood of Shadow would continue to prowl the Netherrealm. Looking at the recent days from a cold eye, Sub-Zero and his companions only bought Hell's denizens a little time. A war was undoubtedly waiting to break out. In the past, the notion of such turmoil in the Netherrealm would only have concerned him if it poured over to Earthrealm. But now, acknowledging the unfeeling selectiveness of his oath as a defender of the realms, he could not turn away.

The only option was to rally allies to end the Brotherhood, once and for all. Privately, he prayed for his success in gaining support. He would never win this war on his own, and without help, he would only be sending his apprentices and comrades to die. Such harrowing thoughts accompanied Kuai Liang for hours as they closed in on the ruins, where the Godling apparently dwelt. There had been no confrontation since they rode out.

"Strange." Skarlet's voice pulled him out of his head.

"What is it?"

"The Little God is not alone. I sense other pulses nearby."

"Could it be foes?" Aioi asked.

"I cannot be sure. But they feel weak, barely alive. I couldn't feel them until now." Though she was still in pain, she did not show it. Her voice was smooth as usual, even as the effort in tracking the Child God was rending her from within.

"We'd best hurry." Kaneda said, lifting his head to observe the land beyond a hill in the distance.

"Careful." Skarlet whispered, catching a strange sight on their right flank.

For a moment, she thought her eyes may have fooled her. Her blood sense told her nothing, but she still kept her attention on their right side. Seconds later, her eyes caught them in the growth, amidst the shade that guarded them from view. Small, dark shapes, like vermin crawling amidst grass and dirt. Beneath her, the muscles on the steed became tense. And then, she knew, they were no vermin.

"There's something following us." She said, discreetly pulling out her dagger.

"I don't see anything." Kaneda added, nonetheless preparing to fight.

"On our right." Sub-Zero spoke. "I know what they are. Sprites. Spectral beings without a body or will of their own."

"Wraiths, then?" Aioi asked.

"Not quite. A wraith maintains autonomy and power. Sprites possess only the latter. They are harmless, unless they find the will of the deceased to cling to. Any corpse will do, no matter its state."

"If they're chasing us, then that means…" Kaneda began. "Oh no."

"Brotherhood of the Shadow bodies." Sub-Zero jumped off from the saddle only an instant after the first Sprite lunged at their rear. A dozen black, vaguely anthropomorphic shapes followed, slashing and clawing with rabid abandon. In response, Sub-Zero's companions joined him to cut the Sprites down before they could reach the Little God.

"So much for subtlety!" Aioi snarked after severing a Sprite's jugular, or at least where it would be if it was alive. But no sooner she did so, the enemy sprang back up.

The four attack relentlessly, making deadly cuts every time. Thick, dark blood oozed from each wound, but this was not enough to put them down permanently. All cuts were mended with a spew of foul steam, and so the Sprites were never down for long.

"Damn it!" Skarlet growled. "Can they not be killed?"

"They can only regenerate for so long. Our only choice is to exhaust them until they can no longer maintain their form." Sub-Zero continued. "Kill them however many times needed, as quickly as possible."

"Quickly, you say?" The red assassin looked down at the vials tied to her belt. There was a generous amount of blood extract for her use. But for the first time, she hesitated. An uncommon aversion to pain slowed her hand, as the venom was still not out of her system. Her tracking abilities were already a great strain; using blood magic for combat could likely do as much damage upon her as the Sprites.

But one glimpse at the companions around her - fighting and struggling against the Sprites in an uncomfortably even fray - and her mind was made up. Without even thinking it, she summoned a plentiful, red stream out of her vials. And so, Skarlet revived an old moniker: the Reaper.

She swiped, side to side with a long scythe made out of blood. Contained in the back of her throat, a scream of bloodlust and pain manifested through silent carnage. Skarlet's offence was just as fierce as days ago, but she did not bother to work in tandem with Kuai Liang. The pain suddenly numbed her brain to all thoughts. Her instinct cared for nothing in this unexpected trance. Not the lives of her companions, not even the quick consummation of the conflict, or the final approach to the fulfilment of her mission. Shao Kahn's revival was not even a trifle in the recesses of her mind.

Skarlet whittled down the Sprites' vigour on her own, while only barely missing Sub-Zero and the rest. And just as quickly as the Reaper's dance began, it ended with the scythe disintegrating into a red splash on the soil. The blood mage immediately regained lucidity. Her entire body felt like it had been submerged in hellfire, and she could not command blood at all. Alas, she still had much inside of her. With only her dagger and her own combat skills, she kept fighting the Sprites. She proved no less efficient now.

Minutes later, the Sprites were losing momentum. Some of them were no longer getting back up. As Sub-Zero predicted, these spirits could only keep going for so long. Be it a mighty warrior, or an unlucky novice, many a denizen succumbed against a Sprite lingering to a strong will. A single one was often a death sentence; very few survived against more than that. On this day, four warriors overcame the odds. The parasitic spirits vanished into thin air, with no lingering will to cling to.

But not before the last remaining Sprite successfully struck at Skarlet's head, knocking her out.

[ ]

Everything was cold around her.

She hated the cold, always had. But no matter the situation, her curiosity would always win out in the end. Curious was what everyone called her before the day she was taken in. During those years of lack, indulging in her curiosity was one of her few joys. It was even better when sneaking out of bed during the darkest hours of the night.

Every step the girl took, going down the hidden stairwell, filled her with excitement. The distance she walked so far funnelled images of long-kept secrets into her head. Perhaps she would find treasures obtained in conquests, or mementos of Outworld's nigh-forgotten heart. Yet her gut told her she was far off the mark. Whatever she found, would surely, vastly dwarf any wonders in stone and gold.

A long time passed, maybe an hour. Her legs and eyes were aching from such a long trek in the dark. But she was finally at the bottom, with a tall shadow in front of her. There was no fear in her heart as she approached. A pale, small hand reached forward, groping at whatever lay ahead. Thus she found that the shadow was actually two thick, iron doors. And behind them, a zealously kept secret.

Just what did her father keep hidden behind these doors?

She had no key, and her common sense told her to go back. But she could not help herself. The Emperor had always been kind to her, and he imbued her with great gifts and a new life away from the streets. Surely he would forgive a little mischief, if he even found out.

The magic he gave was still young inside of her. She could not do much, not yet. But maybe, just maybe… she could rely on her own ingenuity to at least take a peek. There was no harm to it.

No harm at all.

The girl grabbed her dagger and made a small cut across the palm of her hand. Just a little trickle would do, but once more, she overdid it a little. Now she was worried, because her father would definitely ask were he to see the red line streaking across her palm. The Emperor never so much as raised his voice at her, but she heard hushed tales – about how loud, and forcefully he could ask others. One could even say that Shao Kahn never asked, only demanded.

All the same, she had come too far to back out now. She pressed her open palm against the lock and timidly willed her blood to make a key. Strong displays of power came to her naturally; her temper fashioned it so. But delicate, more methodical usage required focus, something she lacked at the moment, as worry slowly turned into fear. It took her a few minutes to cheat the lock, and several seconds for the deafening creak of the doors opening to cease. At the end of it, she experienced a sudden urge to run away.

But what lay beyond those doors kept her fixed in place.

She did not understand what she was seeing, and not because of the dark.

The chamber was wider than it seemed from the outside. No riches lay within, no idols from Outworld's ancient history before conquest. Only one lone red figure in the centre, bound in countless chains that linked to the walls.

It was a woman. Blindfolded and gagged by the chains around her head, she lifted her head towards the girl standing at the entrance. And though her view was obstructed, she still looked straight into her eyes. She heard then a voice that sounded like many, all in her head. The girl was shocked and afraid, but she also recognised a particular sensation. It felt like kinship, somehow.

The bound woman communicated with her in no language that could be spoken. The girl understood every single thing.

Run away, you child.

Shivering and trembling, the girl remained in place, crudely metabolising the knowledge the woman was conveying into her mind and heart. The things she said were a like a cruel awakening. Those impossible words were shattering the truths she had come to know since the Emperor took her in.

And even now, her curiosity won out.

"W-who are you?"

The woman's response was a single word. It contained both her identity and her history. And unbeknownst to the girl, a cautionary tale. In that moment, she was too shocked to heed the advice.

"But… that is my name…"

Suddenly, the girl felt a thick, large hand closing in around the back of her head. And with it, her fear turned to frenzied panic, but there was nothing she could do. The doors closed instantly with a thunderous sound, and everything went black.

Shao Kahn never hurt Skarlet… until the day he did, brutally snuffing the girl's memory. The corruption in her soul had not yet begun. But that was soon to change, one day at a time, until the girl became a woman.

[ ]

Skarlet opened her eyes, and saw the hue of dusk across the sky. The spread of grass in the distance was almost black by now, and at the foot of a fountain stood a peculiar stone arrangement. Her body was without pain. In fact, she barely felt a thing at all, aside from the constant rocking back and forth of the ride. Minutes passed, and she started to regain feeling in her arms and legs. She soon was able to turn and look at her sides.

Aioi rode close at her left, with a concerned look on her face. Nobody had ever looked at Skarlet like that. And she certainly did not expect that from somebody who was essentially a stranger. The red assassin correctly assumed that the ninja kept an eye on her so she would not fall off the horse while they closed in on the ruins. Kaneda rode ahead, scouting for any further surprises. And Sub-Zero, who Skarlet ached to see, was behind them, watching their backs.

"We survived." Skarlet remarked, almost in disbelief.

"Almost didn't." Aioi said. "Surely wouldn't have if not for you."

To this, Skarlet said nothing.

"I wish to think it would have been different if you'd told us, about the venom, I mean." If only for a moment, Aioi reminded Skarlet of herself, at a much younger age. "Doubt my antidotes did much. I hope at least the pain's easier to bear now."

"It is." Skarlet replied dryly.

"I'm glad. Master Sub-Zero helped too. I think he was worried."

Aioi was quickly striking Skarlet as much too willing to make conversation, especially after tense moments. She normally would have found it aggravating, but she could hardly resent Aioi for it. The young woman's words were a soothing distraction against the inevitable – the thoughts of betrayal taking hold of her mind as they approached their destination. In her current state, Skarlet could not use blood magic at all to satiate the anticipation. Instead, the visualised prospect of Shao Kahn's resurrection would have sufficed.

But it did not.

It was only sheer gravity what heightened her pulse now. The notion itself of fulfilling her purpose when Cetrion first approached her. The Elder God must have known of Skarlet's designs from the beginning – the Red Assassin's loyalty was known far and wide throughout the realms. At first she was convinced this was Cetrion's roundabout way of instilling her understanding of 'balance'. All the years without a Conqueror warranted Shao Kahn's return eventually, she thought. But Skarlet could not have cared less about the Elder Gods' grand plan. All she wanted was the power to bring her Master back.

However, Skarlet was no longer sure she wished to revive Shao Kahn. As a matter of fact, she did not know what she wanted anymore. Her single remaining motivation was the sole drive to see this saga through to its end. After that, she cared what happened to her no more. But beneath this hopeless resignation, one thought still nagged her to no end.  
Even though she told Kuai Liang of her true motives, he let her live. He must have known she was telling the truth, regardless of the sudden, intimate setting. And with her role as tracker fulfilled, she was redundant. There was no feasible reason for him to keep her alive. And even after she fell in combat hours ago, Sub-Zero did not seize the perfect chance he had.

Aioi kept at her small talk throughout. Somehow, that kept Skarlet in place, however little that might last. The Red Assassin rested a moment, preparing for whatever happened within the next few hours.

[ ]

The four arrived at the ruins come nightfall. They were concealed between two hills, mostly kept from view at a distance. From where they stood, the destination looked hardly more than a heap of pillars and rocks. An absolute dead end if not for the distinct, indescribable feeling lingering in the area. It was as if the air itself were wild and writhing with life. In a place as strange as the Netherrealm, such a sensation was most extraordinary.

Despite her current state, even Skarlet felt a peculiar sweetness filling her lungs.

As they could not see the Little God, Sub-Zero surmised they were located somewhere underground. The search began in earnest, turning stones and pushing pillars. Soon after, Kaneda was the one to find the stairs leading under. Paradoxically, the air felt even lighter as the four descended into the long, dark passage; no lights on either side, though a distinct spice of life touched everything else.

The refreshing sensation from earlier held no sway over Skarlet now. Her torment and her pain were coming back in full force. Instinctively, she grabbed the dagger on her waist, not only for precaution or the violent haste of her goal. She felt anxious over a strange resemblance to another time she could not quite place. Another seemingly endless path of stairs in the dark. Another mystery waiting at the very bottom.

This time, there was no hand behind her, waiting to squeeze out the moment from her head.

At last, the four arrived at the bottom. They stood in a large hall with spectral, emerald shine illuminating every nook and cranny. Around them, the statues, pillars and murals hinted at a history so ancient it may have been buried and forgotten in a thousand timelines over. That was an uncanny discovery, but it still paled next to the five figures sitting on the floor in meditation, four of which shared a robed attire and a cadaverous countenance.

The fifth one, was much smaller and younger-looking, and seemingly the source of the light above. His skin was black as obsidian; the reflection of the light on his head revealed a complete lack of hair. And behind his eyelids, twin suns were teasing to blind Sub-Zero and the rest should the child open his eyes. Even in this passive state, immense power radiated from him, much stronger than either Raiden, Cetrion, or Shinnok. Such it was, that the four other figures felt quietly alive despite their appearance – not undead, but truly and undeniably alive.

The two Shirai Ryu were speechless. Even Sub-Zero and Skarlet were stunned, regardless of their previous contact with Elder Gods. The strange awe they experienced was only rivalled by the horrendous possibilities should the Brotherhood of the Shadow get their hands on the child, the Little God.

Now, the two opposite sides of this mission no longer seemed as simple a matter.


	11. Chapter 11

Sub-Zero and Skarlet, ever the opposing sides of a coin minted loyalty. There was barely a passing thought after the bloodshed on their paths, countlessly crossed in many timelines. The narrative was always about the forces of Earthrealm against the Conqueror, and not a line written any further after that. Due to the caprice of the Titan Kronika, the tale forever ended doombound – and the two loyal combatants perished with it.

Now that the cycle has been broken, living beyond the fated end seemed harder than dying time after time. Though free from Kronika's design, old impulses and beliefs died hard. Skarlet especially suffered this with every bitter second in the Little God's presence. Her original purpose had lost its shine, almost entirely. Still, she felt the terrible need to restrain herself. Despite her past deeds, she had a personal code to abide by. At the same time, the faint growl of Shao Kahn's voice lingered in the back of her head.

Skarlet was caught in the divide between what she had to do, and what she wanted to do. As if bound to the old narrative, she could not see an hour, or a second past that. The one thing that kept her fixed in the present were the Little God's eyes. The Child was looking straight at her – something akin to knowing and obliviousness in his gaze.

"Who are you?" The sound of the God's voice was familiar to them. It was far from the Elder Gods' infamous grandeur, and much closer to the survivors from the Brotherhood's search. Beneath the confusion and the fear, there was distinct innocence.

"We are friends from outside." Sub-Zero approached with patient, but firm demeanour. "We come on a mission to aid the Realms. I am Sub-Zero."

"Sub-Zero… "The Child repeated. "That's the name the dark ones scream in their thoughts."

"The dark ones. Do you mean the Brotherhood of the Shadow?" Kaneda asked.

"I believe so. They go by many names, all of them dark, some cursed. Dark ones is the safest one to say."

Sub-Zero, Aioi and Kaneda exchanged an uncomfortable look. The dread surrounding the Brotherhood of the Shadow was always perturbing to see. Like Sareena, their perspective on these foes was clear and devoid of mystique. But this was the first time they heard an input closer to the common folk's. Given the extent of the Brotherhood's infamous repute, it was just as accurate. However, this involved a new problem altogether. Judging by the Godling's speech and demeanour, he may be unaware of his own status as an Elder God.

As for Skarlet, her debilitated state kept her somewhat apart from the conversation. She sat at the foot of the stairs, breathing through a sensation she could not quite recognise. Her muscles still felt numb from Aioi's anti-venom, but she sensed something unknown and unpleasant running inside of her. And through it all, the Child God was still looking straight at her.

For one purpose or another, this prompted Skarlet to keep herself together, and come closer.

"What is your name?" She asked.

"… Nakhari." The Child's response came off somewhat shy.

"Can you tell me what you are?"

Nakhari was visibly taken aback. But rather than immediately voicing bewilderment at such a strange question, he looked down. A stammer was growing in his voice.

"I'm a Netherrealmer."

"That is not what I asked." Skarlet insisted.

Her companions observed the exchange carefully as she sought to confirm the suspicions. But they still maintained healthy precaution about Skarlet. Kuai Liang watched with the most interest.

"I… I'm an apprentice of the Oma tribe, son and sibling of the land."

"Is that all you are, Nakhari?"

Silence ensued for several seconds. Though her tone was affable, Skarlet's questions were taxing on a deep level. The child's mouth quivered in search of the appropriate wording. Upon finding it, he was forced to confront a series of strange, tragic events, manifested in the four cadaverous figures circling him.

"I don't know."

"Something happened to you, correct?" Aioi joined in. Regardless of the urgency and stakes, she was ever a kind, welcoming presence – as Skarlet recently found out. "You can tell us. We're here to help you."

The worry and the fear in the child was now evident. He looked at everyone, seeking the reassurance he has needed for a long time now. He found it in Sub-Zero, quietly nodding at Nakhari.

The Child God's tale began with the death of the Elders of the Oma tribe, all on the same day, at the exact, same moment while they meditated around the tribe's great ash tree. And only a moment after, the tree that had been dead for generations grew thick and green with life. That was the first of many strange events. Something died, some other thing resurrected. Eventually, these occurrences started to close in around Nakhari, until he found that he could kill and heal with one touch. Without the Elders to establish order, the tribe's opinions became dangerously mixed.

Some began to venerate him, while others loathed him. The growing disparity ended with a sudden intrusion by the tribe's enemies, coming to take fruit from the ash tree's branches. Conflict sparked and ignited soon after. Four of the tribe's sorcerers snatched Nakhari away from the carnage and into hiding. The four men believed Nakhari was no longer just a Netherrealmer, but a long lost deity that had found its way back in the form of a child. Thus, they took on a duty to protect Nakhari and keep him from the tribe's foes and the many wayward threats of Hell, even as the warding spell took their lives, a little each day.

Frightened of the death that kept following in Nakhari's footsteps, he preserved the one remaining little spark of life in the sorcerers. Their only hope was for the Realm's Protector to find the Child God. But that seemed more unlikely with each passing day.

Despite all that happened, Nakhari was hesitant to acknowledge himself as what the sorcerers believed. Even after becoming capable of 'seeing' thousands of souls with one thought, he steered clear off the revelation. However, the arrival of the four outsiders cornered him into difficult acceptance.

Nakhari was indeed a God.

More than that, he was an Elder God born like any other living being. In the hollow left by the fallen Shinnok, Nakhari was a God of Life, Death, and the delicate balance in-between. A God of Mortality.

"It must be hard to take all of this in." Kaneda spoke. "You had no idea of what was going on until it was too late."

"Regardless, the hazards abound. The dark ones seek you across the Netherrealm. They have committed heinous acts in the process, and there is no telling what they will do if they take you." Sub-Zero spoke. "Our mission is to take you from the Netherrealm and to the Nexus, where the Elder Gods reside."

"But I… I can't leave this place behind. It's my home!"

"It's for your own good, Nakhari, and the Realm's as well. The Brotherhood is relentless and they'll wage war to take you. We must prevent that, but we cannot do that, unless we prevent them from having you." Aioi reasoned.

"The Netherrealm will bleed. You can prevent that." Skarlet's words fell like an anvil.

Nakhari could do nothing but stew his heart in the cold, hard reality of the now. It was already painful to leave his family and tribe behind. Leaving the Netherrealm was not that much worse.

"Very well. I'll go with you." The Child God said. "But first, please allow me to carry out the final rite for my siblings. They saved me." He looked at the four living corpses. "This is not the life they deserve, and I cannot leave their remains lingering. It's not right."

"Can we afford it, Sub-Zero?" Kaneda asked.

"Please. I couldn't do this for the rest of my tribe." Nakhari pleaded.

Kuai Liang knew the risks, and how small the time frame for their getaway. All the same, he acquiesced. Countless times he wished he had the chance to bury old friends. Though he was fortunate in this lifetime, previous lives were tragically deprived. He only hoped this decision would not backfire.

Further back, in the recess between Nakhari and the stairs, Skarlet sat on the floor, looking darkly distant.

[ ]

_This is the moment…_

_The sum of my experiences. Everything that I ever was, as a girl, as a woman… All leads to this._

_My desires and knowledge. Even the misconceptions I tricked myself into believing; questions, doubts, and fanciful musings of weakness. All of it is one of many small pieces in the full picture. _

_There is but one, single purpose – no matter the means. This is the imperative absolute._

_Long live Shao Kahn. _

The voice of Skarlet's thoughts no longer resembled her own. It was getting deeper and cavernous; loud and distorted like a hideous amalgamation of her voice and her father's. Within seconds, the numbness in her body seemed comfortable next to growing nausea. Her pulse quickened, rushing past the effect of the venom. Her muscles quivered with regained vitality, urging Skarlet to fulfil her purpose.

All of her misgivings were being overtaken by the ravenous hunger she hoped forgotten. Even in death, the Conqueror had a vicious grip on Skarlet. And now that the means to resurrect Shao Kahn were but metres away, she could not resist. The Bloody Daughter was raised to see only one colour, and to act only in her father's interest, as the years of carnage washed over her soul, leaving it tainted.

She stood back up, eyes upon the Child God. There was no hope of taking and forcing him into resurrecting Shao Kahn – not with three adversaries in between. She had only one option, to claim Nakhari's blood. And bring about the Conqueror's return herself.

Skarlet could not think, or feel the brunt of heartache as her body moved. Dagger in hand, she lunged forward. The predator's cut was relentless and precise…

[ ]

Neither Sub-Zero, nor the Shirai Ryu. Not even the Godling himself had even the time to blink. The forbidden potential of Blood Magic came out in a single burst of impossible speed – a notion of the inevitable, which none could hope to stop. An instant later, Sub-Zero and the rest witnessed a disturbing sight, which still made all too much sense.

Skarlet lay on the ground, grunting in pain and anger, with a growing red circle on her clothes. Her blade was plunged deep in her thigh. Whether she deliberately missed her femoral artery nobody could know – not even herself. Though this wound could not kill her, she still twisted the dagger to dwarf Shao Kahn's voice with raw pain. But as far as Sub-Zero could see, the true suffering lay elsewhere.

In her face, he saw the insurmountable burden of repentance. The unnatural red of her sclerae could only hint at the true extent of the disease in her soul, clashing with her own will. Rebellion from her past was a high cost to pay.

"This is your fault!" Skarlet hissed at him. "You made me do this!"

"No." Kuai Liang said curtly. "You stopped yourself." He then crouched at her side, placing his palm against the wound to tame her pain.

There was something bitter and fiery in her eyes. It looked akin to animosity. However, Sub-Zero felt no true enmity from Skarlet. Her lashing out felt somewhat juvenile and raw, and all the truer for it. Sheer emotion borne from the hardest deed, for better and for worse.

In the past weeks, Kuai Liang came to believe Skarlet had a hidden, better nature. Suspicion pointed to growing likelihood. But seeing it fully revealed still shocked him. And so, he was as much in the dark as she.

"My purpose…" She panted. "I failed."

"No, Skarlet." He insisted. "You made a conscious decision, against the darkness Shao Kahn sowed in you. Now you have truly asserted your own purpose."

His words did not seem to soothe her in the slightest. In fact, they fell like hot lead in her ears. Skarlet did not regret it, but she also doubted she could live with this decision.

"I knew I recognised you." Nakhari approached her.

"Stay back!" She yelled, desperately hobbling away. "Do you not hear me!? Get away from me!"

"You're the hurting one. I sensed your eyes looking for me days ago." The Child God ignored Skarlet's violent plea. "It was a strange presence. Not like the dark ones, but still similar somewhat… I think."

Nakhari got closer, without the slightest hesitation, until he basically cornered Skarlet. For once, the roles were inverted in the tableau. Skarlet was no longer the merciless predator out for blood. In that moment, she looked vulnerable like prey; hopeless and uncertain of what her future would be.

"I said stay back! I'll harm you!" She blurted out.

"I have no reason to fear you." Nakhari spoke. "Because now I see in you. I see what ails you."

"Ail?" Aioi thought out loud, disillusioned in her own skills as a field medic. "Is it that venom still?"

"No venom could kill like this." The Child God placed a glowing palm on Skarlet's cheek. "If there was venom in her once, it is gone now. But this is… older, and darker… I see it now. The Forbidden Arts have dwelled in your soul for too long."

"You mean the Blood Code." Sub-Zero said.

"A cursed name for it, but yes. The Forbidden Arts were born here in the Netherrealm. And just as soon as we learn to walk, we learn to fear them. And for good reason, I see." He looked in Skarlet's eyes. "The power has cost you, and only suffering awaits you now."

"Can you help her?" Kaneda asked.

"I… think I might be able to." Nakhari looked unsure. "If I'm truly an Elder God as you say, I could cleanse her."

"Don't take this from me! Don't take my power away!" Skarlet protested wildly.

"I wish I could. But taking away blood magic from your soul would kill you. One cannot be without the other at this point, I know this for sure. But I can unmake the shadow it casts on your soul."

"What?" Sub-Zero asked, perplexed.

"The Forbidden Arts. Blood magic, as you call it. Such great power relies on devotion, and on the host losing mastery on their own self. Then it takes more and more, until the soul is extinguished whole. But if you retain command, it can corrupt you no longer." Nakhari relayed the teachings of his tribe, which spanned millennia of rites across the history of the Netherrealm.

"You know much of blood magic, even though you condemn it." Kuai Liang remarked.

"Of course. One must know deeply the things one fears. Don't you think?" The Child God looked at him wistfully, to which Sub-Zero had no response.

"No. I refuse." Skarlet seethed, with a break of fear in her voice. "You won't do this to me."

"It's for your own good, Skarlet." Aioi approached with concern.

"Do not touch me!" The red assassin lashed at the young Shirai Ryu. "None of you understand. This, all of it, is his gift to me. It is not for any of you to touch it. I will sooner die."

"You are not mistaken in that." Sub-Zero said. "How long do you think your body and soul will hold together? It is possible that you have lived on borrowed time, for longer than you know. And you will certainly not live to harness the power you craved. Now you have one chance to outlive this curse. Or would you rather still be Shao Kahn's slave?"

"I owe him…!"

"You owe nothing to the dead!" Kuai Liang parried her words with uncharacteristic passion. "The 'Conqueror' never deserved your loyalty. But you would sooner cling to his memory than condemn the man who bound you to his fate. Shao Kahn is dead, and nothing will return him to life. His role is over. Yours is not. You have one chance, Skarlet."

She looked at him, perplexed.

"Take it."

Skarlet barely needed to utter a word. Her answer was written on her face. Though she would undergo Nakhari's healing, she found no real incentive in Kuai Liang's words. Only a notion of final, inescapable defeat. There was no telling if taking Nakhari's blood would have granted her godly power. Regardless, her personal mission ended in failure from the beginning, because there was always one line she would never cross.

The woman's expression remained forlorn as Sub-Zero stood back to give Nakhari some space. Without a known hope to cling to, she remained in a dark, neutral kind of calm. And it was not to last. Her expression changed dramatically, and her bloodshot eyes shimmered with unnatural glow when the Child God placed his little hands on her temples.

Then the world transformed in Skarlet's mind.

To uproot the corruption of her soul, her mind had to go back.

To the days of complete impotence and hunger.

She was only seconds into the cleansing, but the experience was already overwhelming. To remember those times was to experience them all over again, through the magic of an Elder God. Her body instinctively contracted into foetal position, arms clutching at her stomach like the famished child she used to be. Baffled, Kuai Liang could swear that she looked less than half her size.

An unexpected sense of pity took hold of him. But he could not interrupt Nakhari's work. All he could do was hope it would be over soon.

[ ]

Skarlet had no parents, or a name. But she had a family – orphans, much like her, who called her 'Big Sister'. Though she was not the oldest in the fold, she was the one who procured food for all, almost always by stealing or fighting for it. Both necessity and adversity nurtured grit and skill in the girl, but the beating of her heart remained the same. She could be tough and often cold, but never cruel, even as the streets of Outworld became ever more ruthless.

No matter how much resistance she faced, she continuously reminded herself that she was not alone. Poverty and hunger scourged through masses since the Realm was conquered. Everyone struggled as hard as she. However, this compassion sometimes meant she would give away her one morsel to one of her many siblings. And it was during one such spell that she caught wind of a tournament held by one of Outworld's monarchs.

Sheer, desperate hunger was the only thing in her mind when she entered the competition. She barely thought, only acted. Though she sustained injuries, she was far beyond pain that day. No matter what strong opponents she faced, she never stayed down. But in the end, hunger robbed the victory from her.

Convinced she would soon become another victim of the famine, her last sorrowful thoughts were of her family. The one she never met; the one she failed. Indeed, those were her last moments as the 'Big Sister', but the rest of her life was still ahead. For even though she lost, the tournament's organiser had his eye on her performance throughout.

She was taken to the monarch's palace. Fed and praised. Entirely oblivious to the winner's discreet execution as the royal guards carried the unconscious girl into the palace, at their overlord's command. Sitting at the lord's table, she discovered that the monarch was in fact the Realm's Conqueror, Shao Kahn. And in reality, the tournament was his favoured way to find an apprentice who would grow under his wing.

All ensuing thoughts on the struggles of the Realm were assuaged by the potential this could represent. The prospect was made even more appealing by his promises of fathomless power, which could make her will into a reality. More than anything, she wanted to heal and feed her people. Yet she never suspected that this purpose would be forgotten as the years went by.

Her training began immediately, as did her indoctrination. The generosity he showed her was the quietest of manipulations, same as the falsehoods transforming her view of what was true. These were the first steps into the transformation Shao Kahn desired - from orphan to the Kahn's daughter. The narrative itself was a powerful tool when baptising the nameless street girl into Skarlet. Her story conjured both admiration and fear as the young assassin rose through the Empire's ranks.

It was just the thing that Shao Kahn wanted: an imperfect iteration to the perfect concept.

Blood Magic was a delicate tool. Powerful but volatile. The first Skarlet was a construct entirely made out of the substance itself. But her power grew barely controllable, and sooner or later, she would be too dangerous a tool. Only one thing allowed for her submission into eternal bondage: her very design that made her forever loyal to Shao Kahn. A second attempt at harnessing the Blood Code would need the nuances of a conscious mind. Willing loyalty, and a tight leash through the addictive properties of Blood Magic.

The Emperor's plan was extraordinarily successful, to the misfortune of all Realms he set his eyes on.

Skarlet forgot nothing, not even finding the construct, despite her father's means. The power coursing through her simply made it easy to ignore how it all came to be.

Ignore how she left her family behind.

Ignore that Shao Kahn was the author of Outworld's hunger.

Somewhere in a deep recess of her mind, a battle was fought. While the taint was being scorched from her soul, she crossed blades with a figment covered in red. Shao Kahn, the Tormentor. In this duel, she had nothing but her own skills to rely on, and her original fire. However, even as a figment of Skarlet's damaged psyche, Shao Kahn's hammer and cruelty were an overwhelming force to contend with. And for the first time, looking into its hollow eyes, Skarlet saw what the Emperor's enemies did: a craving for power, greater than even her own.

And without the slightest hesitation to murder Skarlet in its pursuit. There was no love, or gratitude in Shao Kahn's heart. There never had been.

The Tormentor was as strong and agile in her head as he had been while alive. She could fight him with all her might, but she knew what would happen in the end. Disarmed and on her knees, Skarlet could do nothing but behold as Shao Kahn raised his hammer for the coup de grace. The onslaught was not truly a physical one, but the shock alone would surely kill her.

This is how it would end, with Skarlet's mind killing her before the corruption in her soul was expunged. Since becoming the Kahn's daughter, she had only two choices, to be the Emperor's blade, or end a stain on his hammer. But now, seemingly with only one road ahead, her sheer will to survive carved a third road.

Rebellion.

Before the hammer could fall on her head, she leapt back up and lodged her hand into the mask. What lay behind was neither blood nor brain. The figment was empty, but not without use. This was the form the corruption of her soul had taken. Through Nakhari's magic, she got one chance to heal herself.

She felt the change almost immediately.

The world inside of her mind began to change.

_Goodbye, father._

[ ]

Sub-Zero did not stir from his observation since the process began. The change in his expression was subtle, but he reacted to every twitch and convulsion in Skarlet's body. To this particular extent, the Grandmaster was visibly concerned. Meanwhile, Aioi was at the woman's side, uneasy but relieved about the fever dying down. One hour had passed; now Skarlet was still and quiet.

Then she opened her eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

Everything was different. There was no other way to put it.

Immediately upon accepting Nakhari's proposal, Skarlet had a myriad anticipations on the aftermath – none of them good. She could no longer deny the deterioration of her soul, or the way her body was gradually succumbing to Blood Magic's sheer power. But this liberation felt more like a sacrifice. Coming out on the other end, alive and cleansed, Skarlet could only see loss. But these tremulous expectations proved grossly inaccurate. In a way, the real change was somewhat underwhelming.

There was no crippling hunger, but rather a dull, hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. No persisting fever chills, or splitting headaches; in their stead, a dizziness already fading. She expected her limbs to scream in pain, from nerves finally awakened to stark sobriety. But the only discomfort was the stiffness in her muscles. It took her a moment to truly feel herself, physically. And even then, she did not think her body still belonged to her. But Skarlet was blind to the irony, that in fact her body belonged to her for the first time in many timelines.

She looked up and saw the Child God tending to his brothers. Sub-Zero was nowhere to be seen. Aioi quickly stood from where she sat as soon as she noticed Skarlet was awake.

"How do you feel?" The young medic crouched next to her. On her face, the kind look Skarlet had only recently started to notice.

"I am not sure yet."

"Pain? Nausea?"

"I think not."

"That's good. Better than expected, really." Aioi said. "Things looked bad while you endured the cleansing. Master Sub-Zero was very worried."

"He was?" Skarlet smiled.

"Very. We all were, to be honest."

It might have been a brief glimmer from Nakhari's magic, or Skarlet's own imagination. But just momentarily, she got the impression of a knowing, conspiring look in the girl's eye. Regardless, Aioi's concern seemed genuine. Thus, Skarlet felt a sense of gratitude towards her; a notion once unthinkable beyond her attachment to Shao Kahn. Unlike the Emperor, Aioi did not demand anything in return for her trust. She gave, without expecting to take. Skarlet herself had once been like that.

"Where is he?" Skarlet asked.

"Master Sub-Zero went outside a moment ago. He thought it best that someone watched while we remained here. That aside, he probably needed some air. You look like you could do with some too."

"I do." That was not wholly untrue, despite the urge to see him.

The crimson warrior got on her feet with Aioi's help, at which point the stiffness in her limbs was nearly gone. Blood circulation returned to normal, although she could no longer feel it quite the same way as before. And below, on the middle of her thigh, one spot remained an oddity to her. She felt over the fabric of her trousers, and found a wound mostly healed, but a scar remained where she sunk her dagger.

"Can you walk?" Aioi asked.

"Yes. I will not be long." Skarlet tried not to think too much about the scar.

As she climbed the stairs, the difference between above and below hit her like a ram. There was barely any wind, but the air felt livelier, fresher than before. It filled her lungs without pause, and for a moment it was as if she forgot how to breathe.

Was it always like this?

"Should you be outside like this?" Sub-Zero's deep voice kept her feet on the ground.

"I had to know, how much is now changed." Skarlet said.

It was again night in the Netherrealm. She was well accustomed to the sight of the dark hanging over the plains by now. It was not that different from either Outworld, or Earthrealm, and still unique somewhat. Neither scholar nor sage has ever determined whether the same celestial bodies shine in Hell as they do in other Realms, or if they are simply perceived from a different location. Whichever the case, the night sky possessed a beauty she had no eyes for in the past.

Did those stars and those dying suns shine as bright through red eyes?

Even if her senses had witnessed such strange beauty, she would barely have had a care. Only through death, or duty to Shao Kahn would she have set foot in the Netherrealm. And yet, as of now, those rules were broken forever. There was a conceivable tomorrow, a notion of future. Her old mission undone, she was free to walk a new path.

For only a moment, Skarlet's mind was empty, but clear. Uncertainty no longer crippled her thoughts. However, she could no longer fool herself, forget or disregard like she used to. Fatalism no longer glared on her path, but responsibility did.

One question remained, and Skarlet was afraid to ask. The distant look in Kuai Liang's eyes, lost in the night sky, did not help at all. But in the end, through the silence between them, she had to know.

"What will happen to me, after we get Nakhari to safety?"

During the following seconds, she saw the same hesitance in him. It was as if the question took him by surprise. But although it seemed otherwise, Sub-Zero truly had been thinking of this for a long time. Since the mission began, in fact.

Sub-Zero had contemplated a likely betrayal on her part, one he would have punished without mercy. But there was ever the nagging possibility of an unexpected turn of events; a spanner in the works, or the mere intervention of chance. Even if she adhered to the mission fully, all roads led to apprehending her. After all, she only lived to serve as a tool, whether to Shao Kahn, or the Realms' welfare. That was then.

But as the days went by, she became a peculiar presence in his life. No longer a stranger to the woman in red, Kuai Liang was now unsure of what to do about her. He was unsure of what he felt about her.

One thing was painfully clear to him now. She was not a tool, but she surely would be discarded like one if he apprehended her. Her life, freed at last from Shao Kahn's corruption was bound to the same fate as all of her previous lifetimes. Only one other option remained: Skarlet herself had said it in the past, during very different circumstances, with a very different motive.

"You have much to answer for, Skarlet."

"I know."

"You were Shao Kahn's blade. My duty tells me you must face justice. But it is never so simple, is it?"

She looked at him, with a confused expression.

"I cannot turn you in, Skarlet. If I do, you will be executed. All the same, I cannot let you go."

He turned to Skarlet, looking straight into her eyes. He was aware of the possible interpretations to his words. But he no longer cared about averting either side of the ambiguity, for the truth lay in both sides. Their lives, past and present, were marked by bloodshed and servitude, corrupted wills and mere coincidence. Now, at this stage of the beaten path, he would give her something he once denied her; something he gave capriciously.

Compassion.

"You will join the Lin Kuei."

"What?" Skarlet's pupils dilated as she processed Sub-Zero's words.

"It is not a request. You will train and master yourself as never before. And you will face by justice by upholding it. Your blade, like mine, will defend the Realms. The harm Shao Kahn did upon Outworld, you will mend."

Never. Not once in her life did Skarlet expect to hear such a thing from him. More than a kiss, more than carnalities and quenched appetites, this was the thing most unreal about her journey into the Netherrealm. It was beyond reason and belief. It had to be a dream – a strange chapter in the Child God's cleansing, or a sweet accent to her final, dying throes somewhere. Was she dreaming, was she awake? She had to know. Only one thing could give her certainty.

With swift, deliberate motion, she put her arms around Kuai Liang, and held tightly. She almost expected his tall, muscular frame to vanish in a cloud of smoke. But he remained whole in her arms, reciprocating with the warmth he exiled from his heart, a long time ago. He had almost forgotten what this felt like.

"You will redeem yourself. I will help you."

Skarlet wished to verbalise her gratitude, but simply could not find the words. Aioi, Jacqueline Briggs, Nakhari, Kuai Liang; be it mortals or Gods, all played a part in her liberation, whether through direct action or the simple benefit of the doubt. In face of the lifetimes of servitude and self-delusion, this moment was the simplest, purest mirth.

"Will your people… will the Lin Kuei accept me?"

"I cannot say. That bridge will be crossed when we get there." Despite his own feelings, he could not force his clan to readily accept someone who had been an enemy for so long. Furthermore, Frost had become the most harrowing cautionary tale amongst the Lin Kuei. He felt no need to state the obvious, but Skarlet faced a tall task in earning their trust.

"Living in Earthrealm." She mused. "Now I will finally get to meet that damned Dracula I hear so much about."

Sub-Zero contained a chuckle. He would not express it openly, but he felt pleased that Skarlet's biting wit was her own. He looked forward to knowing her fully, now that they were on the same side.

But those hopes would have to wait. Sub-Zero and Skarlet broke their embrace in a state of alert, turning around to examine the far surroundings. A faint, but familiar sound was slowly emerging from the silence and the whistling of the wind. It was the march of a legion, approaching from the East.

They wasted no time in fetching their companions and the Child God. On coming out into the surface, the scene had changed to a more perturbing scene, as a myriad lights traced a thin line over the horizon. Sub-Zero looked quickly through his telescope, calculating approximately a thousand hooded figures, about a third on horseback. The mass in black was still far enough to miss them, so long as they left immediately.

All four rode off South. Nakhari was protected by Sub-Zero, who spearheaded their getaway. Meanwhile, Kaneda and Aioi kept surveillance in all directions for any oncoming threat. Skarlet observed the sky carefully, searching for Sareena's blackbirds, and only found them several hours later, when the city they left was within view. However, something was off about their movement. It looked far too natural for their taught behaviour.

"Sareena's birds. Should they flying so close to each other?" She voiced her concern immediately.

"No. They should not." Sub-Zero replied. He tried communicating with Sareena through the whisperer, but heard no response. This was to be expected if she successfully led the tactical exodus through the portal back to the Sankha Island in Outworld, or if she had somehow met her demise. The latter was a terrible thought, but he could not afford to let it distract him from the issue.

Were the birds reacting to their Master's absence, or was it something else altogether?

The Netherrealm's Protector trained her birds meticulously. If they were to be her eyes in the sky, she could not afford them to behave like simple birds of prey. Their flying patterns, positioning, even mating and nesting habits – everything had to conceal any notion of a pattern. All other behaviours could serve as a visual cue for a potential enemy. As a close ally to Sareena, Sub-Zero knew her careful, almost obsessive ways when it came to tactics. A deviation from her imposed norms was cause for alarm. The blackbirds were travelling in a flock. In any conceivable setting, this looked an ill omen.

The darkness in the sky gave way to dawn. By then, the five had reached the nearest city, housing only survivors, and the rest of their companions. There was little time to spare following the rendezvous – just enough for the steeds to rest before embarking on the longest, final stretch of the mission.

"I see things went well on your side." Jacqui Briggs greeted as soon as she saw Sub-Zero climbing off the horse, with the Godling in his arms. "They took the bait. Hook, line and sinker."

"Good." Sub-Zero was curt in his response. The birds' sudden behaviour still troubled him.

"Is he…" Jacqui trailed off as she saw Skarlet.

"The Child God, yes. His name is Nakhari." The woman in red spoke.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jacqui." The Shirai Ryu liaison smiled at the child, turning immediately towards Skarlet. "And you… you look different."

"Different, you say?" Skarlet smirked confidently.

"She's one of us now." Aioi joined the conversation with levity.

"It's quite the tale." Kaneda approached. "I'll tell you while we get these beasts something to drink. They'll need it."

"Be quick about it." Sub-Zero interjected. "We leave in an hour."

"Roger that." Jacqui confirmed.

The brief respite gave them little time for actual rest. For most of that period, the squad of six discussed the final step in the mission. It was the same as initially planned, but there was now a possible obstacle to account for. Sub-Zero could not shake off the feeling that the birds were an important sign, and he contemplated the possibility that their vigilance front was now compromised. Without any means to confirm that, the only course of action was to hasten their exit from the Realm.

There was no visible resistance to the West. They could ride on a wider arc, directly towards the portal, while avoiding the vacated city and possible stragglers. Furthermore, two things factored to their advantage. The probability that the Brotherhood's ranks be at relative disarray after the successful gambit, bypassing the need to travel only under daylight. And the portal's location and functioning being known to only few people, allowing them passage without approaching obvious landmarks.

But even with these likely advantages, they needed to be prepared for anything.

Matters were not any easier once their mission was fulfilled, for they could no longer look away from the Netherrealm affairs. After they were gone, the populace they long neglected would still suffer under the Brotherhood of the Shadow's presence. It needed not be said: most, if not all of them, would return to the Netherrealm to face the Brotherhood and end their yoke on the region. And considering the numbers, this would occur sooner rather than later.

Sadly, for the survivors inhabiting the city, the quickest solace they had was to keep hiding until they too could cross over into Outworld. In the meantime, the supplies intended for a whole city would suffice for the people left. And although his abilities to create life paled next to Cetrion's, Nakhari could 'encourage' the soil to beget fruit even in the shade. This was all they could do for the forgotten folk of the Netherrealm.

During the time left after the meeting, Jacqui afforded some levity by "addressing the elephant in the room". Aioi and Kaneda spoke of Skarlet's cleansing, which fell as a surprise to the other half of the squad. When Jacqui addressed Skarlet, the more remarkable change between them was a modest sense of civility, but mutual, open trust was still a long way to go. Such are the first, cautious steps to burying the hatchet.

While still somewhat quiet, Skarlet looked better integrated into the group. Her features looked more relaxed, unburdened by her previous inner turmoil and the subdued history of hostility. It was an unexpected, but welcoming sight, one which Sub-Zero did not notice at that moment.

His thoughts lay elsewhere. They dwelled in a suspicion that something was severely wrong, heralded by the sight of Sareena's blackbirds, flying further south. Skarlet caught his eyes as soon as he looked up, escaping the trance. Her expression was prying, teasing and still calming. And without saying a word, they shared in a moment of dissatisfaction. Whatever they would rather be doing, a moment in peace or a reprisal of recent encounters, was out of the question.

There was no time left.

Departure was as bitter as they anticipated. The squad left the city with a promise they vehemently wished to fulfil. They could only hope that the word of an Elder God made it easier for the survivors. All the same, they gazed with fear and despair as the six steeds rode south. Minutes later, the hooves kicked too thick a cloud of dirt, and the city was all but gone. Whether that was the last they ever saw them, none dared imagine.

Nakhari clung tightly to Skarlet as they rode. Part of her wished to think of this as a reminder of the conscious decision she took. But mercy and redemption could hardly distract her from the survivors in the city; children most of them, not unlike the family she left behind years ago. Atonement was the only thing in her mind during the long ride ahead. Because of this, she could neither afford to die, nor fail in their mission.

[ ]

The journey back was a few hours short of a day. If everything worked according to plan, they would reach the portal before dawn of the next day. But through the gloom of the suns setting over the horizon, Sub-Zero kept his eyes on the blackbirds and their curious flight, and every moment spelled doom with more clarity. Several times he scoped to the West, as if making sure that nothing stood between them and the portal. He detected solitude and nothing else, but this failed to reassure him.

There was a feeling inside of him that chilled him to the bone.

Halfway through the ride, the birds' changed their flight pattern. Sub-Zero almost expected it; his misgivings confirmed by the sight of countless blackbirds flying in circles, right above the first city they visited. This was the city Sareena vacated for their gambit. Sub-Zero knew it was no coincidence, but intention, obscure and dangerous.

"Halt!" He called, ignoring his comrades' confusion.

No sooner his companions heeded the order, he climbed off the saddle and assumed position to watch through his telescope. There was still some light to seize. By now, he was sure of what he would find east. Even if their evasive efforts proved effective, the Brotherhood of the Shadow was truly much closer than they thought. A visual confirmation – that was all he needed.

But he never expected what he saw. Far beyond defying his expectations, it annihilated them completely. Countless figures in black lay bloody and splattered against the city's walls. The number was high, but meaningless in relation to the grotesque tableau. From this distance, it was hard to see much detail, but there did not seem to be actual signs of a battle. The uniformity of the bodies spelled a massacre, like a single intent claiming their lives in one fell swoop. With no predators involved, the overall scene had a distinctly ritualistic tone.

There were no doubts in his mind. The Brotherhood of the Shadow had bled by design. In this and all continuities, the accursed legion enacted power through death and sacrifice. Thus, behind the city walls now dwelt an unspeakable horror, just waiting for them to approach.

Against the squad's plan, this carnage proved wasted effort. Their path henceforth would only lead them further away from the city, towards the portal, completely averting the unseen menace. However, carrying on was a gamble of its own. The Blackbirds, Sareena's eyes in the sky, could see Sub-Zero and company's path. If someone had claimed control of the watchful birds, they could intercept them with ease.

This was all conjecture. Sub-Zero may well be mistaken in his assessment. But the dread he experienced linked all of these sights together. He decided it was best to err on the side of caution. Deep inside, this decision went against his own pragmatic ways.

"Master Sub-Zero." Kaneda spoke. "Is something the matter?"

"Take Nakhari to the portal and complete your mission." A frigid, hard tone brooked no arguments. "Sergeant Briggs, make it so."

"What the- " Jacqui was confused by the implied meaning to his words.

"It is not a request, Sergeant. It is an order." He punctuated.

"Yes, Sub-Zero." She found no choice but to acquiesce. She had her orders, and the instructions to open and close the portal. "But not before knowing what the hell you are up to."

"He is heading to the city." Skarlet chimed in. "Something lies inside."

"Do you 'sense' it, Skarlet?" Sub-Zero asked.

"I need no blood magic to smell something foul. There is sorcery at work, of the vile kind."

"The blackbirds tell an ill omen, Master Sub-Zero. It must be a trap!" Aioi tried to persuade him.

"One we cannot afford to contend with." Sparrow said. "Do you mean to act as diversion?"

"Yes."

The Shirai Ryu company continued to pose resistance, but Sub-Zero shot every argument down until they found themselves without a say. Jacqui and her comrades conceded under the name of duty. Nakhari was quiet throughout, but he himself was unwilling to leave without the Lin Kuei Grandmaster. In the end, the Shirai Ryu and Nakhari rode further west until they disappeared. As for Skarlet…

"You are not going on your own."

"The mission is fulfilled, Skarlet. You are redeemed and free. The Shirai Ryu will vouch for it."

"I do not care about being vouched for. This is not like you."

"Do you think you know me that well, Skarlet?" He turned to her with no warmth in his eyes.

"You would not take a risk like this, not with so much at hand."

"It is simple precaution."

She grinned a sour, cynical expression.

"I do not believe that, Kuai Liang. Not for a second. This is not rationality speaking, it is emotion. I could recognise that look in any one person." Skarlet stared. "Curious. I never expected to face my demons when we first embarked on the mission. Neither did you."

Sub-Zero had nothing to say in his defence.

"I will not let you face them alone. You did the same for me."

"Yours was an inner battle. I had nothing to do with it."

"I do not care. What do Earthrealmers says on this…? Ah, yes… Tough luck."

Arguing further would only be a waste of time. The two walked towards the city on foot. The scene became all the more gruesome as they drew nearer, with subtle peculiarities adding to the horror. Bodies were contorted and sectioned in a way that hinted immense strength, skill, and cruelty. No vermin dined on those remains, whether repelled by magic or the sheer vileness in their flesh and blood. High above, the beating of wings sounded louder than it should have.

Sub-Zero and Skarlet stalked around the outer walls. Neither made a sound, expertly sneaking past the barrier and into the city. The labyrinthine alleyways concealed no enemies. By all accounts, one could judge the city deserted, but he would not deem this a hollow threat.

Not until they reached the centre.

Skarlet was right. Though his decision had tactical merit, Sub-Zero was doing this out of pure emotion. Something inside of him had come loose since hearing it from Sareena. That Bi-Han had again found his way into the Brotherhood of the Shadow, this time without ever becoming a wraith. A whimsical fate kept the two brothers in a boundless tangle, meeting time after time as enemies. Cryomancer against Shadowmaster, forever.

From those countless frays, he learned it was a perilous error to underestimate his brother. An omission could lead to a worse end.

Finally, Sub-Zero and Skarlet reached the city centre. In the gloom of the streets behind them, he feared and secretly hoped for whatever dwelt further ahead. But his legendary fortitude still left him poorly prepared…

… as a figure in black came into view, sitting calmly on the very centre of the square at the heart of the city. His cloak was down, revealing a face that looked alien to Kuai Liang. By now, he was better accustomed to the cadaverous features, dyed perennially black in Netherrealm soot. It was strange to behold his sharp, cruel features. Clean-shaven as per his usual way, to fully highlight the lack of mercy in his expression.

Bi-Han.


	13. Final Chapter

Infamous.

Whether as a Lin Kuei, or a fiend of the shadow, the name Bi-Han invoked a dark repute. His was a history of betrayal, corruption, and fathomless cruelty. Once a deadly assassin, killed in misguided vengeance, eventually reborn as Noob Saibot under Quan Chi's foulest magic. His humanity extinguished, Bi-Han lived apart from the ambitions of others, acting upon a new, despicable nature. Even those on the same side as he knew to be cautious; for nobody held Bi-Han's allegiance, other than himself.

But in spite of his power, he always met a ruinous fate. One way or another, his life was bound to the workings of Shao Kahn, Quan Chi and the Fallen Shinnok. Their fall prefaced his own, every time.

Those were the life and times of Bi-Han. Brief and tragic, with a horrendous path of carnage in between. But no more.

During his brief stint as an Elder God, Liu Kang knew certain events needed to be changed and reimagined for the welfare of all Realms, dating back to the very foundations of the Mortal Kombat tournament and Shang Tsung's emergence. The blood feud between the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu was averted altogether, and Earthrealm's warriors hunted Quan Chi down long before he could enact influence over the flow of events. This ultimately spared Bi-Han from ever becoming Noob Saibot.

But even so, the elder Sub-Zero remained a wild card in the grand scheme. He survived the tournament, but never allied himself with the Earthrealm warriors. Instead, he simply vanished without a word, effectively removing himself from the board come the war against Shao Kahn.

As time passed, Bi-Han was forgotten by most. But the sudden parting was still a wound in Kuai Liang's soul. No matter the twists and turns past and present, he could never forget his own brother.

And now, finding the truth to the incognita was the cruellest of heartbreaks. For Kuai Liang recognised the look in his eyes, and instantly knew his brother had come to the Netherrealm by his own will. And if Hell no longer resembled its past incarnations, Bi-Han would force it so.

The meeting between the two estranged brothers was enough to make Kuai Liang forget about the massacre outside the city's walls. Skarlet stood next to Sub-Zero, quiet and cautious, prepared to fight.

"Kuai Liang." Bi-Han addressed, still seated. His voice was deep and cold, but not necessarily void of emotion as per Noob's design. It sounded awkward, if only for the fact that his human voice was less known than the wraith's.

"Brother. Why are you here?" Sub-Zero demanded quickly, outrunning the sorrow taking hold within.

"That is a grander question than you imagine. And I have no quick answer to give."

"Why is that?" Kuai Liang pressed on.

"I did not expect I would see you ever again." His eyes were fixed on his younger brother's. "I suspect it would be unwise, but I will give you a chance to turn around and leave the Netherrealm, never to return."

Such a display of mercy was uncommon from Bi-Han, even as a man.

"One chance only." He insisted. "To you and…"

It was then that Bi-Han finally realised who accompanied his brother. His icy expression was shattered instantly, revealing a state beyond surprise. He did not fail to notice how close Skarlet stood to Sub-Zero, or the vaguely protective manner of their proximity. The Bloody Daughter herself looked much different from how he remembered. A shimmer of madness and hunger was now completely gone from her eyes.

"Miraculous… A work of Gods, I bet." Bi-Han smirked. His features were similar to Kuai Liang's, equally graceful to the eye. But his smile was a uniquely disturbing sight; it was harmful and without compassion. "Whatever swayed you to my brother's side, Skarlet?"

She did not deign answering him.

"Unlikely alliances have never been strange to this ongoing comedy of Elder Gods and mortals. Must be a great purpose what brought you together, in the Netherrealm, no less. I suspect your reasons may not differ from my own, when I opted out of the play years ago."

"Explain." Sub-Zero said curtly.

Bi-Han's expression turned grim for a moment.

"I suppose I owe you that, for all the times I renounced our kinship. Simply put, I have plans I need to fulfil. The first and only logical step is to descend where I was countless times reborn. What follows is to recreate that old story, this time on my own terms. With Quan Chi dead, I was free to study the Dark Arts, and take assert leadership over the Brotherhood of the Shadow. This alone is a greater advantage than the lot I was dealt before."

"I do not understand, Bi-Han." Kuai Liang spoke. "Why would you want this? Your death, your corruption… they were averted. There is no need to reprise such dark events or for the carnage you have unleashed upon this realm. Your life and your fate were already your own."

"All of it is a means to an end. A necessary evil, if you will. I need power, greater than any one soul has wielded."

"So you can be another Shao Kahn?" Skarlet interjected.

"Far from it. He sought submission. I seek liberation. And for this, I will wage war."

"Against what?" She questioned.

"The very architects of our despair. The Elder Gods and the Titans."

Bi-Han let the silence stew over the echo of his words. He read their effect on Sub-Zero and Skarlet, neither of whom had an immediate response to the idea. A long-neglected part of him took some leisure in their bewilderment.

"You are delusional, Bi-Han." Skarlet said.

"I would not expect you to comprehend. But you, Kuai Liang… surely you remember it was a mortal, an Earthrealmer like you and I, who trumped Shinnok long ago. I plan to reprise and outdo those same efforts against our enemies."

"The Elder Gods are not our enemies, and the Titans have been rendered untouchable." Kuai Liang spoke. "You are one man only. You will find no allies for this war of yours."

"A short-sighted perspective, brother… You disappoint me. Do you not remember the unspeakable horrors done unto you on lives past? Becoming a pawn of a corrupted Lin Kuei, a servant of Quan Chi?" Bi-Han's voice increased in volume as the anger reached a feverish point. "Kronika's machinations have repeated those events time after time. The same goes for my… 'rebirth.' I have long lost count of my many deaths. And you, Skarlet, have you too lost count of the many lives you have spent in servitude to a tyrant? We each were bound to the same narrative, all for the sake of a vacuous, grand scheme."

"That lies in the past, brother. All of it."

"It may yet be the future. There is no guarantee this relative peace will not crumble instantly, not while the root of our suffering remains. I will not indulge in the passivity of your allies, Kuai Liang. My plan is already underway... I have lain the seed for a small army all around us, ready to sprout as we speak. The first of many."

"Does he mean…?" Skarlet revived the image of the countless dismembered bodies outside the city walls.

"I led us into a trap." Sub-Zero said bluntly.

"Not at all." Bi-Han smirked. "I would wager it was mere chance what brought us together this day. Or perhaps, fortuitousness. I knew there had to be some credence to the mutterings of the great Sub-Zero walking in this realm. Imagine my surprise to find an empty city on the heels of those words. Most peculiar. And now, you are here, with such unexpected, fair company."

Bi-Han stood up slowly. Nothing about his body language hinted any aggression. Nonetheless, Sub-Zero and Skarlet took a step back in precaution.

"Like I said before… work of Gods. The less sound among my mystics claimed a God was just born in these lands. Madness or not, the consensus speaks of power, which I must possess. As for you, that is what brings you here now, brother. Correct?"

Neither Sub-Zero nor Skarlet answered his question.

"I can see through you, Kuai Liang, but no matter. My Brotherhood will only grow stronger and more plentiful, thanks to the arts I have mastered. It is only a matter of time until we find this… God. With that power added to our numbers, I will bleed the Elder Gods and the Titans."

"You are toying with boundaries you cannot possibly comprehend, Bi-Han!" Sub-Zero exclaimed.

"I am exceeding those boundaries." Bi-Han stepped forward. "I have paid my debt to you, brother. Earthrealm will be untouched, so long as my path remains unobstructed. You have this, your one and only chance to step aside, and steer clear off my path forever. Leave."

"I cannot do that, Bi-Han."

"I know." The elder brother sighed.

Whatever compassion towards his brother vanished from Bi-Han's eyes instantly. Kuai Liang could never grow used to the sight, even after their countless duels. And now, there was no peaceful way to cope with the irony. The former Sub-Zero aimed to break free from the narrative, but this tale would play out once more, as it always had.

In Mortal Kombat.

Bi-Han charged ahead, flash-freezing the air into a sword for each hand. Kuai Liang prepared to clash with his brother, wielding an icy halberd to cut his brother's momentum. However, the elder brother evaded the attack, opting to engage Skarlet, who joined the fray to aid Kuai Liang. He expected the assassin to use her blood magic against him, but Skarlet chose to depend on nothing but her blade. She took full advantage of this unfamiliarity by closing the distance quicker than anyone could expect. She slashed and struck with daunting precision and ferocity. And it was only Bi-Han's uncanny reflexes what saved him from her onslaught.

Meanwhile, Kuai Liang continued to attack on the other flank. Each blow was deflected on both sides, icy shards flying on each exchange. He anticipated the wear and tear on the halberd, so he broke off the weapon into an axe before it snapped on him. Hence he took on the same strategy as Skarlet, impeding Bi-Han from opening the gap. Their adversary would last only a few more seconds before the duo overwhelmed him.

But Bi-Han was not about to lose so easily. Still a living man, he retained his abilities as a cryomancer, thus he refined and honed his art in his own way. Much like his older self from the mythical years when he stole Shinnok's amulet, Bi-Han used his powers through odd, unpredictable ways. Instantly, he managed to push himself backward, far from the reach of his challengers, if only for a second. Within this brief moment, he changed the way of his breathing, exhaling a little more with each movement as he thrust forward once again. At first, it seemed as if the battle would follow the same course as before.

But every motion from both Sub-Zero and Skarlet was becoming a little slower. Soon they were unable to apply pressure quite as relentlessly. Too late they realised that thick frost clung to their extremities as they moved, slowly burrowing into their skin. Every ensuing movement from Bi-Han sprayed even more ice as he counterattacked, and the roles were soon reversed. The fray was drawing on longer than expected, and if it came down to sheer attrition, Sub-Zero and Skarlet would end at a deadly disadvantage. They had to halt Bi-Han immediately.

Thus Kuai Liang applied another incidental lesson from Skarlet. He decided to forego cryomancy altogether, and resort to the raw basics. His brother's attack was becoming increasingly bolder, murderous by intent. But each blow was an opportunity to retake the tide. Kuai Liang got even closer to Bi-Han, posturing a failing, desperate defence with his axe to bait a coup de grace. Bi-Han raised his sword up high, ready to bring it down on Kuai Liang's head.

And as the sword came down, Kuai Liang struck upward with his palm, dislocating Bi-Han's elbow. Such an injury would ordinarily end a fight, but he could not afford to underestimate his brother's grit. Sub-Zero took the advantage and grappled the shoulder out of its joint while binding his brother in a chokehold. The blood flow to Bi-Han's brain was cut off immediately, but he continued to struggle with uncanny vigour. Within seconds, the elder brother attempted to use his dominion over ice to break Kuai Liang's limbs, but Skarlet put a premature end to his efforts, with a knee strike directly to the head.

The impact produced a sickening crunch which spelled the end of the fight.

Apart, Sub-Zero and Skarlet were each fearsome warriors. Together, they proved extraordinarily effective. At this point, Bi-Han could only hobble away for a few metres. But something about the surroundings and the ground they fought on was changing. It was too vague and subtle a difference to notice in itself, but they could have never noticed it, regardless. There was one thing retaining their attention in full disbelief.

Their foe was not defeated yet. A fractured skull, an incapacitated arm, and a brain deprived of oxygen and blood were not enough to keep Bi-Han down. The figure of the grinning man, clad in black, somehow back on his feet, was a testament to the calamity they were holding back. Neither as a Lin Kuei, nor as a wraith, had Bi-Han ever been so strong, agile and resilient. He had to die - no other choice remained.

"I gave you a chance…." Bi-Han growled quietly, coughing up blood and barely keeping balance. "…now you die."

An ominous, spiteful smile lingered on his lips. Then everything fell apart.

At first there was only the sound, of metal cutting through flesh and bone. It was barely audible to any but the most versed amongst killers. Skarlet felt no pain when it happened, but now there was a black, crescent blade coming out of her sternum. Kuai Liang turned around only to see the sickle cutting upward, diagonally across her chest, finally severing the clavicle as it exited her body.

As she fell, a familiar, loathsome figure came into view. Bi-Han's shadow, materialised into a double. This was Bi-Han's counterpart as a wraith in countless other lives. Now, as a human, he mastered the dark arts that allowed him to imbue intent and corporality to his own shadow. Being able to control both ice and shadow, and to withstand such harm, he proved to be more powerful than he had ever been. Bi-Han exceeded all of his past selves. There was no feasible way Sub-Zero could win.

However, Kuai Liang had neither eyes nor mind for the demise looming over him. All he could see was Skarlet, bleeding out, and soon to stand before death's door. He could only think about her own liberation, and the future made possible for her. All of it, now destroyed.

_She was to redeem herself. _

_She was to be his ally._

_I am sorry, Skarlet. _

Sub-Zero turned towards his brother, and charged ahead, driven solely by emotion, thinking nothing at all. The battle continued, this time against two. Kuai Liang fought with unbridled fury despite the perilously uphill battle. This clash could only last for a few seconds before he was overwhelmed. Even so, in this visceral state, he proved his brother's match in might and guile. Loss had a way of influencing his fighting prowess.

He would avenge Skarlet, just as he had avenged his Lin Kuei brethren in past lives, no matter if it killed him.

[ ]

Skarlet could not tell up from down, dream from reality, life from death. She possessed only a primal understanding of what was happening. Through blurred sight, she witnessed Sub-Zero's last stand against Bi-Han and his shadow unfolding. Kuai Liang was fighting valiantly, even edging close to victory, but the challenge proved too much in the end. Her vision was clearing by the moment the Shadow cut Sub-Zero's face, almost taking his eye in the process. Bi-Han struck him violently in the stomach afterwards, which left him ripe for the killing.

And through it all, the red assassin was subconsciously using most of her magic to hold herself together. When she neared a state of lucidity, her first thought was to save Sub-Zero, but she was in no position to help. At least not in any conventional manner.

Skarlet still had just enough strength for one burst of blood magic – nothing large, complex, or lavish. She was now in desperate need of conjuring success in a single motion for the once chance she had. Bi-Han stood precisely where she needed him, but the overall positioning was not ideal. Kuai Liang was brought down to his knees, right between her and Bi-Han. And he was unlikely to move an inch further. This was as good as it would get. So without liberty to pick a better situation, she concentrated all the blood she could spare. Meanwhile, she tried not to think of how the blood loss was affecting her aim, or the cruel, bitter irony…

… that to save Sub-Zero, she was going to literally stab him in the back.

The shadow of death now loomed before their eyes, and its name was Bi-Han. In his right hand, the blue shimmer of a cold sword lusted for fratricide. It was now or never.

It was not painless. Sub-Zero felt something thin and long, running him through. Half-blinded, all he could truly see was his brother stopping suddenly in his tracks. Kuai Liang's fingers twitched from the acute pain spreading outward from the entry point just below the larynx. But despite all, he would survive. Skarlet's blood needle had narrowly missed his vitals. Though the same could not be said for Bi-Han, and his skewered jugular.

However, the gambit proved only partially successful. Skarlet beheld in horror as Bi-Han weakly raised his sword while still bleeding out. The motion spoke by itself, even as those final seconds were yet to happen. The needle disintegrated, and so did her spirits. There was nothing she could do.

Skarlet closed her eyes, refusing to see it unfold. But the unexpected sound of ice shattering prompted her to look. The remnants of Bi-Han's sword broken lay on the ground. And Sub Zero's fate was averted by a black-feathered arrow piercing his elder brother's hand.

Sareena's voice thundered within the empty city, as she bellowed out a command in the demon tongue. The Netherrealm Defender prepared another arrow for precaution's sake, while countless soldiers and riders poured inside from every gate, surrounding the centre. In their midst were hundreds clad in yellow, led by the Scorpion himself, Hanzo Hasashi. Next to him, Jacqueline Briggs and her comrades stood ready to fight.

Such a plentiful, unlikely force was a sight for sore, hopeless eyes.

Vastly outnumbered and gravely wounded, Bi-Han found himself effectively defeated. The only thing he could do was seal the hole in his jugular by cauterising with ice. An uncertain fate for him awaited, but he seemed to be completely without fear.

"We made it." Hanzo said, making haste to aid his friend.

"Skarlet… Help her as well." Kuai Liang spoke with a weary voice.

Scorpion obliged with no argument, carrying the two away from the square, the latter still barely clinging to life. Hanzo was in no mood to smile, but he silently noted that the Shirai Ryu would have never been able to intervene if not for the devious woman's message. Whether or not she truly meant well, he reckoned it truly was the right decision. Furthermore, something happened in between to guide Sub-Zero's concern about Skarlet. It was something Scorpion would rather never know. If Sub-Zero trusted her, he would too. That sufficed.

Meanwhile, Sareena dismounted and approached Bi-Han. She looked upon him and his hideous works, but could not bring herself to hate him. The story, in this and all past lives, had forever been the same. Invariably, it was the elder brother who broke her shackles from Quan Chi's yoke. Even if she loved Kuai Liang, her esteem and gratitude towards Bi-Han existed beyond all vows and carnalities. She cared for the two brothers, deeply. Seeing them always meet as enemies was a dagger in her heart.

"What have you done, Bi-Han?" She asked. Deeply heartbroken, she did not expect an answer.

And she obtained none.

He would not even look at her in the eye.

Sareena looked up at the sky. Her birds continued to fly in circles, like feeders over carrion. From the sight alone she knew what kind of forces were at play. No matter the conditioning and training, the Blackbirds were always swayed back into primal instincts by the darkest magic. Even when crossing the portal back into the Netherrealm, this distant image was enough to send shivers down her spine. She wished it were not true, but the truth glared straight into her soul: There would be a war within the Netherrealm.

However, there was a significant solace. Sub-Zero's mission was a success. Sergeant Jacqueline Briggs and her comrades made it back through the portal, with the Child God Nakhari in tow. It was through their request and retelling of events that the army of the Netherrealm and the Shirai Ryu came together to save their precious ally in common. And now, the enemy that threatened this and potentially all other realms was known.

"This changes nothing… Kuai Liang." Bi-Han said suddenly. He snapped his fingers, and the men he killed himself revived as an army of Sprites. The resurrected Brotherhood could never overcome the Netherrealm army or the Shirai Ryu, but the objective was to simply create confusion. Bi-Han escaped Sareena's judgement in the ensuing chaos, promising he would only grow more powerful.

Alas, a greater unity was born from this series of events. The Netherrealm would no longer stand alone against this threat. This was a boon, grand and unheard of, begotten by seven warriors on a mission.

[ Epilogue ]

Kotal Kahn's rule was the diametrical opposite to the Conqueror's. It was not for the welfare of the few, but all of Outworld's peoples'. This extended even to the use of his grand temple in the capital. Among other things, funerary rites were common within its walls. In accordance to Kotal's ways, the hallowed structure housed mourning for all, from the humble to the wealthy. But on that day, one unexpected name was enshrined inside of the temple. One word alone that conjured dreadful images in Outworld's collective memory. Here lay the most loyal and faithful of the dead tyrant's extinguished fold.

Skarlet.

Unsurprisingly, she went unmourned by the many who visited the temple that day. Only one man stood before her desolate shrine in silent tribute for longer than a few moments. Another joined him, following in the shadow of the setting sun. The very sound of the spurs on his heels revealed who he was.

"Well, this is a surprise, Master Sub-Zero." The mercenary Erron Black said as he approached.

"What is, Mister Black?" Kuai Liang asked curtly. Though he was no longer an enemy of Earthrealm, the freelancer never held much of Sub-Zero's esteem.

"Seeing that she bit the dust after so long, for starters. That someone went through the trouble of mounting an offer, second. And that you're here, mourning her. Makes me think she did something real nice. Is that's what happened, Master Sub-Zero?" A thick, irreverent tone clung to his words.

"She did something laudable, yes."

"Probably about time. Those under Shao Kahn's payroll don't last unless they get another hustle. Were you there when it happened?"

"When she proved herself, or when she died?"

"Whichever you prefer." Erron spoke too vaguely for comfort.

"I witnessed it." Kuai Liang replied in similar fashion. The cold façade of his expression concealed a pride he never thought he would feel about his former adversary. "I could have never imagined it would happen the way it did. In the end, she demonstrated a greater inner fortitude than I ever gave her credit for. Had we only gotten to her before Shao Kahn ever did…"

"Some things you can never avoid. It's funny. Back when we were together, I tried talking her into ditching the Emperor and go freelance. You can imagine what came of it, but I didn't think she truly wanted to stay at his side forever. One of two things would happen, she'd either crave more power, or she'd stray because the lunacy of that blood shit in her. Glad she her crazy got her somewhere better than that."

Erron removed his hat, and paid his respects for a few minutes. It was a most unexpected moment of reverence on his part. A moment of sincerity in a lifetime of cynic pursuit for gain.

"You take care now, Captain Cold." The mercenary gave his farewell, but took a pause before leaving the temple. "Funny, Skarlet's dead as rocks now. But I get the feeling it won't be the last we see of her."

[ ]

Kuai Liang had spoken at length with Kotal Kahn on Skarlet's behalf. Sub-Zero's vouching was a powerful currency for these matters, but it did little to assuage her. By most accounts, Skarlet was a war criminal, and her native realm disowned her for her many deeds under Shao Kahn. A change of heart and her most recent actions would not easily gain Kotal's trust. Alas, it was a necessary beginning. Blood Magic would forever be part of her, and she could no longer allow it to live inside of her unchecked. Only a mentor like Kotal Kahn could teach her to fully control such a perilous art.

Gaining the Kahn's favour would not be a simple matter. On the other hand, gaining the favour of Outworld's populace was virtually impossible. For her native soil to eventually accept her once again, Skarlet, the Bloody Daughter, had to die.

After what felt like an agonisingly slow hour, Sub-Zero finally climbed the stairs to Kotal Kahn's personal offices. Skarlet discreetly sought refuge from the Kahn's overwhelming presence at his side. As for Kotal himself, he still looked sceptic to the entire development.

"As of this moment, you are officially dead." Kotal said to Skarlet. "Word of your passing will spread across the population. Hopefully in time they will be blessed by forgetting your sins. You are free to depart for Earthrealm under diplomatic protection, but you shall only be allowed back in this realm with the Lin Kuei's blessing. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Kotal Kahn." Sub-Zero and Skarlet answered in unison. No further words needed be said on the matter. From this moment forward, she would be subject to severe scrutiny and training. Even though Sub-Zero had much faith in her, this alone would not sway his clan. Whatever lay in store for her, she would earn it through her own merits.

All the while she, and all Realms, prepared for a war in Hell.

The first hurdle on her path was choosing a new name for herself, but nothing came to mind.

[ ]

Skarlet's training under the Lin Kuei began as soon as she set foot on Kharon's ship. The old captain did not hide his satisfaction on seeing how the air between his passengers had changed. However, his mood soured a little more whenever he yelled at them to stop rocking the boat. As a trainer, Sub-Zero proved more strict and impetuous than Skarlet ever imagined. Having seen what she could do without with her own strength, he aimed to hone her potential so it would completely overshadow Blood Magic. From dawn till dusk, he pushed her physical capabilities to their extremes and beyond.

But come nightfall, he took special consideration to soothe the aches of the day. On more than one occasion, she showed how much fire she still possessed, snatching the role from under him. Each time, the thick walls barely disguised the sounds with the crashing of the waves outside. And at the end, when things grew quiet, Kuai Liang allowed himself to think.

He thought about the one who brought their paths together. Cetrion's words rang true on the Little God's existence. But he wondered what exactly she told Skarlet; whether the bargaining chip was explicitly Shao Kahn's revival. Affairs took a sharp turn in the end: by renouncing the corruption he sowed within her, Skarlet severed the bond with the former Conqueror. It made little difference now, but there was still the pervading likelihood that Cetrion manipulated her from the beginning.

One way or another, Skarlet was guided through a God's will. Kuai Liang was no different. Lying down, he reminded himself that the mission was more necessary than anybody knew initially. He focused on the glaring notion that they emerged victorious, with Skarlet sleeping at his side as a tangible affirmation of the fact. This was his deliberate attempt to discard a bothersome thought.

Cetrion saw the light. Raiden atoned for his errors. Shinnok cast himself into the abyss. But in another life, things had been much different. The Elder Gods are as capricious and fallible as humanity itself. They could or sometimes would not see beyond the extent of their own sphere. Titans were of a similar nature. And so much more lay still in obscurity, far from the reach of man and God alike.

_Is there merit to Bi-Han's words? _

Neither one night, nor twenty would suffice to obtain a clear answer. Even so, Kuai Liang made a decision upon arriving to Earthrealm. Though war with the Brotherhood of the Shadow was inevitable, he shall not dismiss his brother as an enemy again. Through victory, he would earn armistice with his own flesh and blood. And if BI-Han was accurate in his motivations, there would be no hope for Realms divided. However, beneath the pragmatic introspection, Kuai Liang followed a more personal want.

_Is there room for love in your heart, Kuai Liang?_

Through duty, blood and faith, Sub-Zero saw his own heart thaw. He now had to face things he long turned away from – all to spare himself the pain. He would help his brother break free from the narrative, just like Skarlet had. Once and for all.

[ ]

Life in the Lin Kuei had grown significantly busier since the Grandmaster's arrival. Preparations for an upcoming journey to the Netherrealm were always a factor. But that was not all. Warriors of all ranks could tell something was different about Sub-Zero, and this extended to the way he trained his people. He was as demanding and strict as ever, but somehow more approachable and kind. There were varied opinions on the possible reason. Some chalked it up to success on the mission, while others deemed it a renewed spirit for the trying times ahead.

A growing minority wondered in hushed conversations if the newest recruit had anything to do with it. This was a woman with pale skin and red hair, who arrived alongside Sub-Zero, and immediately donned the Lin Kuei colours. Her driven attitude and vigour when sparring quickly earned her a favourable reputation amongst her peers, and the Grandmaster always recompensed diligence. However, late-night gossip claimed that she snuck out from the barracks, later to be seen near the Grandmaster's quarters.

Krimson denied the rumours every time, despite the devious spark in her smile.

Author's notes:

(The final encounter may or may not have been inspired by Sister Friede's boss battle in Dark Souls 3. Besides, Bi-Han has been a jobber far too long. Let's throw him a bone here, or several.)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING, AND FOR COMMENTING, AND FOR FOLLOWING.

The premise for this fanfic was pretty much an indulgence since I just wanted our protagonists to interact, and for Skarlet to win Sub-Zero over. Never imagined I'd get so invested in the characters' history and inner workings, world-building and all. It honestly felt like I was writing myself into a corner about some things, but I'm happy with how this story turned out.

Hopefully you were too.

I also may or may not write what happens with this war, but we'll see.

Thank you, and take care.


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